Since the opening of Skull Island, I have not felt the urge to search for the Pentagram Bracelet, deluding myself into believing that I would never encounter Mostima again. Little did I expect that not only could he escape from Demon Island, but he also transformed to join the Demon Sealing Mercenary Corps. His intentions are clearly not related to Guan Ling; his feigned vulgarity may conceal deeper meanings. If it weren't for the extraordinary abilities of the Temporal Order Keeper, I would have never connected this unsightly man to the elegant demon I once knew, nor would I have guessed his true identity.
Facing Mostima in battle is not a matter of courage for me; rather, how can one muster interest in a futile fight when the outcome is already known? After all, Mostima is a creature whose strength is at least on par with the Seven Lords of Skull Island. Even if I were to hone all my abilities to their peak, I would still be unable to harm a single hair on Mostima.
In that case, every word Mostima spoke to me was a lie. He claimed to be one of the Seven Lords, yet Horus informed me that no such person exists among them. He insisted that I seek the Pentagram Bracelet to liberate him from Skull Island, yet here he is, wandering freely and entering the human realm...
What could his true purpose be?
I raised a middle finger at Yulian and followed Guan Ling in the footsteps of Meishu. Yulian, who had been smiling nonchalantly, suddenly noticed the colorful neon lights in the air, forming a large phrase: "Mr. Mostima possesses exquisite taste; how could he transform into such an ugly form? Has he read the tale of the Frog Prince?"
His smile instantly vanished, and he halted in his tracks.
It was after I turned back that I used the ability of the Underworld's Illusory Butterfly to create this enchanting phrase of light, invisible to Meishu and the others. This message was meant solely for the incarnation of this godly demon.
Wang Lin! You are quite amusing!
Mostima's voice echoed serenely in my mind, extending a remarkably friendly greeting. However, Yulian, this grotesque man, reacted in stark contrast to Mostima's salutation. He stopped, tilted his head back, and downed the contents of his wine bottle in one go. Then, with a fierce crash, he smashed it to the ground and turned to leave, as if he had been wronged by my actions.
You are not nearly as interesting; I never imagined you would end up like this.
I conversed with Mostima using my illusionary thought technique, undetectable to others. Mostima did not inquire further about the Pentagram Bracelet; instead, he let out a laugh that felt like a gentle spring breeze.
He explained, "If you wish, I can teach you transformation techniques; my skills exceed those of that Jack by far. The Druids are not particularly formidable; their shapeshifting is merely a trivial skill. For you, most abilities in this world may seem inconsequential, but I do not see it that way. If you can teach me anything, why not start with other skills, such as necromancy and alchemy..."
As I haggled, I never truly believed Mostima would impart any real skills. To my surprise, this godly demon readily agreed with a smile: "Fortunately, Wang Lin, you did not ask me to teach you martial arts. I am not well-versed in the Eastern martial arts system, but I do possess considerable knowledge of alchemy. I will come to find you tonight!"
"Meeting a man at night instead of a beautiful woman is indeed a peculiar style," I muttered under my breath. Yulian had already vanished without a trace, and Mostima seemed to ignore my disrespectful mumble, fading from my mind.
In a lavishly decorated conference room at a private club, our group of nine each occupied a seat, listening to Meishu's address. Gao Bo was "very busy" tonight, so he did not attend our newly formed team's first meeting.
The Demon Sealing Mercenary Corps is a mercenary organization lacking the structured hierarchy of a modern army. Aside from the higher-ups, the members are divided into various teams to carry out an array of tasks. Meishu is currently discussing the team's name and code of conduct with us. Baijing Zhenfu glared angrily at Jack, while the Wolf King chatted cheerfully with Gu Yali. The red-haired beauty remained silent and icy, and Jin Pingnan and Wen Chihu sat upright. Guan Ling and I engaged in inconsequential chatter.
Over the past few days, we had trained separately under Meishu and Gu Yali, each instructor possessing vastly different philosophies, resulting in unique insights. This newly formed team was already rife with discord from the outset. I found myself disinterested in Meishu's words; in truth, if there were no other matters at hand, I would have liked to tell her, "Once training is over, I intend to leave the mercenary corps." However, the atmosphere was not conducive to such a declaration; it seemed better to observe with a cold smile.
"Starting tomorrow, everyone will train together. Instructor Gu Yali will be responsible for guidance. Wang Lin and Guan Ling have completed their shooting training, so I will instruct you in combat training." Everyone appeared quite impatient, so I refrained from further rambling; excessive chatter can age a woman quickly. "Do you have any other questions?"
Meishu smiled, attempting to ease the tension, but it was evident that our group was not receptive. Baijing Zhenfu was the first to react, growling, "Jack! Return my wish fruit!" He twisted his hands, shattering the solid wood conference table into countless splinters, clearly demonstrating significant progress in his abilities.
The force of this strike was more than tenfold that of his previous attacks on Demon Island. Jack, caught off guard, quickly shielded his head and face with his arms, letting out a low growl as he transformed into a massive bear-like creature. His coarse, thick fur and powerful muscles allowed him to withstand Baijing Zhenfu's assault, and he retaliated with a mighty blow of his own.
These two engaged in battle without exchanging a single word. While Meishu remained calm, Gu Yali, the fierce woman, was incensed, shouting, "Stop this at once, or I will not hold back!" The Wolf King, ever amused by the red-haired beauty, remained unfazed by Gu Yali's threats, casually blocking her path with his imposing figure.
"My dear, why waste your energy on these brutish fellows? Why not join me outside for a drink? Let these ruffians entertain themselves." As he spoke, the Wolf King winked at me, a blatant suggestion to take action.