Chapter 15: Cruelty (Part 1)
Beside a water source in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Linley treated his wounds, absorbing earth-element energy to repair them. The Earth Mother was the most benevolent and selfless. Standing on the ground, feeling the earth’s gentle improvement of his body, Linley’s heart was filled with peace and tranquility.
Linley’s pack had already been replaced. His original pack was far inferior to the assassin’s pack, both in leather quality and internal design. The assassin’s pack had layered compartments and buckle arrangements; as long as the main buckle was pulled tight, everything inside was held firmly, and carrying it on his back didn’t hinder movement at all. Moreover, the assassin’s black short blade was much sharper and felt quite handy to use.
“Whoosh!”
Linley’s figure was agile as he moved silently through the forest. He generally ignored first- and second-level magical beasts, focusing instead on third- and fourth-level ones. If he encountered a lone fifth-level beast, he would even dare to fight it.
As he ventured deeper into the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Linley experienced one bloody, brutal battle after another. He endured several ambushes from hidden assassins. In these repeated fights, the wounds on Linley’s body grew more numerous, and at the same time, his heart grew tougher.
Battles between life and death tempered Linley’s resolve, making him more ruthless in his methods.
In the blink of an eye, Linley had already spent a month in the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
******
A month later, at the top of a large tree beside a stream in the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
A shallow scar marked his left cheek. Linley crouched like a leopard lurking in the tree, carefully watching below. Dozens of meters from the tree where Linley was hiding, a small stream flowed. Beside the stream stood a sturdy Bloodthirsty War Pig. The pig had a blood-red horn on its snout, its muscles bulging, and veins like old tree roots crisscrossing its entire body.
Bloodthirsty War Pig, fifth-level magical beast, fire attribute!
“This Bloodthirsty War Pig has thick skin and very strong defense. An Earth Spear probably can’t pierce that layer of hide.”
Linley made a decision. He silently moved his lips, chanting a magic spell. Gradually, wind-element energy gathered around him, and then a translucent cyan javelin appeared before him, its tip swirling with wind-element currents.
Fifth-level wind magic — Wind’s Roar!
“Swish!”
A sharp, piercing sound rang out as the vacuum javelin shot downward at a terrifying speed. Linley himself leaped from the tree canopy, following closely behind the translucent javelin as he charged downward.
The Bloodthirsty War Pig, drinking water, heard the piercing sound and looked up. But the javelin was too fast; in an instant, it was only a few meters away. Due to its extreme speed, ring-shaped air currents formed around the javelin’s tip.
“Roar~~~” The Bloodthirsty War Pig let out an angry grunt, thrusting its blood-red horn upward to meet the javelin.
“Bang!”
The vacuum javelin from Wind’s Roar slammed violently into the Bloodthirsty War Pig’s forehead. The javelin immediately shattered and dispersed. Struck by the fifth-level wind magic, the War Pig involuntarily dropped to its knees, a bloody mark appearing on its forehead from the impact.
“Pfft!”
Before the Bloodthirsty War Pig could react, Linley, following right behind the Wind’s Roar, drove the sharp short blade with powerful force straight into the center of the War Pig’s forehead. The black short blade plunged directly into its brain. The moment it entered, Linley immediately retreated at top speed.
“Roar~~”
Stabbed in a vital spot, the Bloodthirsty War Pig roared madly, flames erupting from its body as it charged wildly forward. Its terrifying aura was utterly shocking. But after running a dozen meters, it collapsed weakly, its limbs twitching a few times before going still, the flames on its body dissipating.
“Among fifth-level magical beasts, Bloodthirsty War Pigs and Bloodthirsty Iron Bulls should be the least intelligent,” Linley said, walking to the War Pig’s corpse. He pulled out the short blade and retrieved the fire-attribute fifth-level magical beast core.
Reflecting on his month in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Linley had to admit that although he was still a fifth-level dual-element mage and a fourth-level warrior, his combat ability was now far stronger than when he first entered the mountains.
Having faced life and death several times, the scars on his body bore witness to the cruelty of this month.
Especially—
A terrifying wound on his abdomen. That time, he had truly been at death’s door, and only the little Shadowmouse had saved him.
This wound wasn’t left by a magical beast, but by a very cute young girl.
“Back then, I really believed her. I believed that her friends had all been killed, leaving only her, injured and alone.” Linley shuddered at the memory of what happened two weeks ago. That girl had looked so kind and innocent.
When Linley found her, the other three men and another girl were already dead, leaving only her, terrified and frightened.
Linley couldn’t help but comfort her, help her, and take care of her. At first, the girl seemed deeply traumatized, extremely scared. Every night, she needed Linley to hold her before she could sleep peacefully. Seeing her serene sleeping face each night filled Linley’s heart with joy. This went on for three days. On the third day, she again slept quietly in his arms.
But then, without warning, the girl drove a dagger through the abdomen of Linley, who had let his guard down completely.
Immediately after, the enraged Shadowmouse ‘Bebe’s’ body eerily grew larger. With one bite, it crushed the girl’s entire head, killing her on the spot. Then ‘Bebe’ returned to its original size.
But Linley’s abdominal wound bled profusely. Little Shadowmouse ‘Bebe’ finally used dark magic to seal the wound.
“I should have listened to Grandpa Doehring’s advice. I still lack experience.” Linley sighed inwardly. Back then, Doehring Cowart had warned him several times. Seeing Linley stubbornly insisting on caring for the seemingly pitiful girl, Doehring Cowart had no choice but to insist that Linley just save her and not let her get too close.
But the girl was so terrified that she couldn’t sleep peacefully without being held. In the end, Linley comforted her, held her, and they slept together peacefully.
“I really didn’t expect her acting skills to be so strong. After all I did for her, she could still be so heartless toward me.” Linley sighed to himself. Every time he thought of the girl’s ruthless gaze as she stabbed through his abdomen, a chill ran through him.
What had made this girl so merciless?
Had his three days of care not moved her at all?
“Thankfully, Grandpa Doehring repeatedly warned me, so I didn’t tell her about Bebe’s true strength.” Linley had to admit that his life had been saved by Grandpa Doehring and the little Shadowmouse.
“Linley, what are you thinking about? That girl again?” Doehring Cowart appeared beside Linley.
Seeing Linley’s expression, Doehring Cowart could guess. The girl’s dagger strike had deeply wounded Linley—not just physically, but emotionally. From that day on, Linley would not easily trust others.
Doehring Cowart had long suspected something was wrong with that girl. Would someone who dared enter the Magical Beast Mountain Range be so terrified by dead bodies?
Unfortunately, Linley had been won over by the girl’s ‘act,’ believing she was so pitiful.
“Linley, that girl’s act is nothing. When I was in the Pruen Empire, I saw countless spies from other nations. Those spies could maintain their disguises for decades without being detected. Their acting skills far exceed your imagination,” Doehring Cowart said with a faint smile. “Remember, never let your guard down around a stranger.”
Linley nodded slightly.
“Squeak, squeak~~~” Little Shadowmouse ‘Bebe’ started chattering beside Linley.
Linley looked up.
Little Shadowmouse ‘Bebe’ hopped over from nearby and jumped onto the Bloodthirsty War Pig’s corpse.
“Boss, when are we going to the core area of the Magical Beast Mountain Range?” Bebe transmitted telepathically, somewhat dissatisfied. “In these places, the strongest we encounter are sixth-level beasts. Not much of a challenge. I want to fight a seventh-level beast! Boss, I want to fight a seventh-level beast!!!”
Linley glanced at the little Shadowmouse. “Alright, don’t get too cocky. You say sixth-level beasts aren’t challenging, but last time with that Azure Wind Eagle leader, could you handle it?”
“That’s not my fault,” Bebe said, rubbing his nose with a little paw and snorting. “Boss, you saw it. That Azure Wind Eagle leader just stayed in the air and wouldn’t come down. It kept firing wind blades like it had endless magic power. Was I supposed to just let it attack me?”
Linley smiled.
Through several battles, Linley had gained a certain understanding of Little Shadowmouse ‘Bebe’s’ strength. In terms of speed alone, Bebe reached a terrifying level. However, due to his size, his attacks were limited to his claws and mouth. He could handle sixth-level beasts, but against seventh-level ones, it would probably be difficult.
Just then, Linley frowned. Alert, he turned his head to look into the distance, where a blurry figure appeared in his field of vision.