"Werebeasts," Riku muttered, squinting at the red dot on his map, deep in thought. Beasts weren't necessarily the strongest race, at least not when compared to what he'd faced recently. Most of them could still tear through human soldiers like they were nothing, but to the current Riku, they were no longer a threat. His recent upgrades had put him on another level.
There were exceptions, of course. Some of the more powerful Beasts could use their unique ability, Blood Break, which let them surpass their natural physical limits. But those kinds of warriors were few and far between. Most Werebeasts wouldn't stand a chance against him now.
Not only that, but with the Divine Escape Talisman he recently acquired, he had another ace up his sleeve. The talisman masked his aura, making him nearly invisible to any creatures relying on their heightened senses. Even if they managed to catch a whiff of him, he could always escape through Shambhala without breaking a sweat.
"Looks like I've decided my next target," Riku said with a slight grin as his golden eyes locked on the Werebeast territory.
Just as he was about to set off, a sudden noise snapped him out of his thoughts. His sharp senses, enhanced by the genetic fortification fluid, immediately picked up on movement. Something—or rather, someone—was climbing the rocky cliffs nearby.
"Beasts? What are they doing here?" Riku muttered, his brows furrowing. There were at least a dozen of them, from what he could see. But their presence here was odd. This wasn't exactly the kind of place Beasts normally roamed. It was desolate, an area where even birds didn't bother flying over. Riku's curiosity got the best of him, and rather than engage, he quickly hid himself, his mind racing with questions.
He had the advantage of perspective; he could see them, but they couldn't see him—yet. However, he knew that smell could be a problem. The Beasts had an uncanny sense of smell, far superior to any other race. One whiff of him, and they'd be on his tail in seconds.
Thinking fast, Riku pulled out some props from his storage space, masking his scent. It wasn't that he was afraid of them; he could easily wipe them out if he wanted to. But something about their behavior piqued his interest. He needed to know what they were doing here.
"Captain Dora, something smells off," one of the Beasts growled, twitching its nose. It turned to the leader, a tall, tiger-like Werebeast named Dora.
"There's no need to make a fuss. Focus on finding that thing. We don't have much time," Dora replied in a gruff voice, clearly irritated by the distraction.
Riku's curiosity deepened. "That thing?" he thought, his eyes narrowing. What could they possibly be searching for in a place like this? His mind began to race with possibilities as he silently observed them. If they were risking their lives to be here, it had to be something important.
While he was lost in thought, one of the Beasts began to wander dangerously close to his hiding spot. Riku's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, golden eyes gleaming with cold determination. He was ready to strike if necessary, but just as the Beast was about to stumble upon him, a shout rang out.
"Captain Dora, I found it! Over here!" one of the Beasts cried out in excitement.
Dora's face lit up with a toothy grin. "That was fast. Looks like our luck is finally turning!" he said, rushing over to his comrade.
The Beast that had been near Riku quickly turned back to join the others, giving Riku the chance to exhale softly and shift his attention to what they'd discovered.
Peeking out from behind a rock, Riku caught a glimpse of what was in Dora's hands—a small, blood-red fruit, covered in dust and dirt, as if it had just been unearthed.
"With this, the princess will become even stronger!" Dora boasted, his eyes gleaming. "Her Blood Break will be flawless—no more side effects, and the power boost will be massive!"
"That's the eighth one. Just one more next year, and the princess will be able to stand against the superior races!" another Beast added, his voice full of excitement.
Riku's expression hardened as he listened. "Using Blood Break with no side effects? Competing with the superior races?" His mind raced. Every race had its secrets, but he hadn't expected to stumble upon something this critical by accident.
The Werebeasts were strong, but they weren't on the same level as the top six races. The Flügels, for example, were embodiments of concepts themselves—beings of overwhelming power. It was hard to imagine a Beast, even with Blood Break, competing with a race like that.
Jibril alone had decimated the Elves, turning their kingdom into a wasteland. And the Elves were stronger than the Beasts. If the Beasts could use these fruits to close the gap, it would disrupt the balance of power in this war-torn world. That thought alone was terrifying.
As he processed this new information, a sharp voice cut through the air. "Who's there?!" Dora suddenly snapped, his gaze shifting toward Riku's hiding spot. Even though Riku had concealed himself, the Beast's heightened senses had picked up on his presence.
Knowing he'd been discovered, Riku stood up slowly, stepping into the open with a calm, almost casual demeanor. "If I said I was just passing through, would you believe me?" he asked, his tone light but edged with confidence. He'd already learned everything he needed to.
"A human?" Dora sneered, his eyes narrowing in disgust. The other Beasts followed his lead, baring their fangs and preparing to attack. They had killed plenty of humans before—eating them, even. To them, Riku was just another piece of prey.
"Heh, I didn't expect a human to wander into a place like this, let alone stumble upon our secret. Well, we can't let you leave now," Dora growled, his lips curling into a vicious smile.
"Go ahead. Kill him. Looks like we're having meat for dinner tonight!" he barked, issuing a cruel command to his men.
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