Chapter 147: Two Monsters
Aren shuddered immediately as he felt a certain pressure emanating from the other side of the door.
Absolute killing intent.
It wasn’t directed at him—or anyone specifically. It was just a natural pressure, so invasive that it stained the other side of the door.
Kko stood up immediately, ether gathering around her as the doorknob budged once...twice.
"Shit...a Peak Line 7?" she muttered.
Her nails suddenly grew out to the size of knives as her eyes sharpened, the predatory slits appearing as the irises turned a bright yellow. Cold immediately enveloped her, so cold that it made Aren raise his arms to brace himself.
"Go protect the others! I’m not confident I can protect you all and fight at the same time," she demanded.
"But—!" Sterling started.
"No! Just...go!"
Sterling gripped tightly on the edge of her chair before standing up. Aren immediately did the same, hurrying over to the doors.
As soon as both entered the room, Daniel, who was already awake, perked up immediately. Even if he was exhausted, there was no amount of hiding that could mask the foul, rotten scent and pure bloodlust coming from outside.
"Professor, Aren, what the hell is going on?!"
"Shh!" Sterling hurried over to him, clamping one of her hands around his mouth as she used the other to pull out something from her bag.
Even as she pulled it out, Aren immediately realized what it was—an Etheric Flare Gun.
It was a common tool that shot flares of condensed ether in order to signal for help. They work by shooting a small pellet into the air before exploding into a burst of ether, usually above the stratosphere, where it’d be hard for others to sense.
Aren recognized that she was probably trying to call for help from the people in Frontier City, the ones that they were probably supposed to meet up with.
Is it really going to work? Even with the ether flares being designed to be hidden. Would a Line 7 Master miss such a cue?
But even as he questioned the answer himself, her face and trembling lips said it all.
Even the professor knew...whoever’s outside would sense it immediately. This was a last-ditch effort, a gamble for help.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
Aren’s eyes snapped to the source. He got closer to the wall, opening it just ajar before he saw the scene.
The front wooden cabin doors were completely blown open, splinters all over the floor as a figure stood.
Instead of the black robes Aren was accustomed to, he was wearing something entirely different.
The man was wearing a full black trench coat that just barely covered his gigantic frame. He was towering, at least twice the size of Aren himself. But the detail that haunted Aren the most was something else...
Covering his face, was a black half gas mask that completely covered his mouth and nose. He was breathing so heavily that Aren could hear it even from here.
His bloodshot eyes scanned the area before he shoved his way past the entrance and into the house.
Aren knew exactly who this person was...one of the top dogs of the Defilers, and...someone he’s already met.
The Mad Dog—one of the most notorious criminals and someone who was killed by Aren’s master in the future.
He was known for being merciless, a bounty hunter who would never fail to accomplish a mission. Every time a body was found, the suspect was easily identified due to how brutal the crime scene was.
What the hell is he doing here? Shouldn’t he be in the Western Asylum at this time?!
The man walked forward calmly. Even if he was covered in the black trenchcoat, his movements were weird, twitchy even, like he couldn’t really control his own muscles.
Kko took a defensive stance, something a beast wouldn’t do if they knew they’d win regardless. She considered him a real opponent.
"Grrr...." she growled, her white fur standing on end as she looked like she was about to change back into her full bestial form.
The man simply raised one palm up before speaking, his voice rough and filtered through the gas mask.
"Give me the drake."
But even as he said it, Kko made the first move. Aren didn’t even see what happened.
By his next blink, both of them disappeared. All he saw was a blur as Kko tackled the man head-on, both of them flying outside in a tumble of ice and snow.
Aren immediately burst outside, his eyes locked onto the drake that was hurriedly scampering around on the floor.
"Big bro! What’s going on!"
He didn’t bother answering, instead dashing over and scooping the drake up within his arms. "Brother! I’m scared, what’s happening!"
"It’s okay! Big brother’s got you! Stay calm and don’t make any noise!"
Aren brought the drake over to everyone else before nudging Sterling. "Professor, how long would it take for reinforcements to arrive?!"
She looked at him plainly, calculating it in her head before answering. "Assuming they get our message..."
"From Frontier City, if someone goes at full speed, it’ll take at least 15 minutes to get here."
"Can’t we just run?!" Aren asked. "If we each carry one person, we’ll be able to make some distance and—"
But even as the words came out of his mouth, he knew it was impossible. Aren scanned the entire room, looking at the rest of his club members.
Marcus was up but he was one of the two most injured within the party. Even if he could’ve physically carried two people, which Aren doubted he could in his condition, he wouldn’t make it far in such cold and harsh weather.
Both Iris and Emily were out cold and Daniel looked like he could barely stand.
Even if we tried to run...even in the event that he beat Kko, we won’t make it far enough to matter.
They were out of options. The only ones left? Wait until reinforcements arrive...or pray that Kko can beat the Mad Dog.
And looking outside the window, the latter option wasn’t looking too promising.
Kko was engaged in close-quarter combat, going hand-to-hand with the Mad Dog. With her outstretched claws condensed with ice ether, she launched a barrage of swiping attacks at the man.
But he hadn’t even bothered to dodge, taking each attack like they were punches from a kid. Though even if he hadn’t reacted, the damage was there.
Each of her attacks left huge gashes onto the Mad Dog’s body, tearing through his shirt and spraying red all over the snow.
But even without seeing what happened, Aren already knew. The attacks seemed to be piling up but would mean nothing in the end.
The Mad Dog had the ability to regenerate from almost any attack. Even if he’d lost an arm, even if he was just a decapitated head...he’d still grow them all back. In the future, he was most often called by another name: Master Zombie.
But that was when Aren had a thought...
If his Bloodline has such strong regenerative Arts or properties. That would make him the perfect candidate for Bloodline Implants...
Is that why he’s here? Is he the one running this whole operation in the Wildlands?!
But as Aren’s mind ran through the possibilities, the Mad Dog had struck back.
With a strong right fist, he drove it straight into Kko. She raised her arms up in an X-guard. But even with a defense up, she was flung back a few meters, boots carving trenches in the snow in her wake.
"Gaggh! You’re pissing me off! Die!"
CRACK–!
The ground beneath her feet froze instantly, spreading in patterns as frost raced across the battlefield. The temperature fell so harshly that Aren felt his muscles lock instantly, tips turning a slight purplish color even from inside the cabin.
Her muscles expanded, bones cracked and realigned as she grew larger and larger until she was the size of a five-story building. White fur and black stripes emerged as she finally transformed back to her original body—The White Tiger.
The Mad Dog just stared, mist coming from the side of his gas mask as he shook his head.
"Tsk...looks like I have to work overtime."
His body shifted as ether exploded behind him, the force of it equivalent to a small bomb cluster that shattered all the cabin’s windows.
"Gghh—!" Aren groaned in pain, throwing himself over the unconscious Luna as shards of glass hit his back.
But just as he turned to look at what happened, it was already Manifested.
A massive rabid hound dominated the center of the battlefield. Its body was swollen with bulging veins, each one pulsing erratically as if barely contained beneath its skin.
Its jaw opened slightly, revealing rows of jagged teeth slick with dark fluid that looked akin to blackened poison.
Shit...the encounter between a Lord-Class Beast and a Master-Grade Mystic. Can we handle the aftermath?!
Two monsters stood across from each other...
Before they both moved at the same time.