Chapter 103 - 101 — Doctor
"Of course! Do you have any idea what this means? Once word gets out, those stubborn idiots in the Heresy will regret ever cutting my funding. Just imagine their faces."
Dune inwardly shook his head. The only stubborn one here was Victor himself.
He had killed hundreds upon hundreds of people, men, women, even children, all for the sake of trying to create something capable of using multiple elements.
Dune let out a deeper sigh. Though it disgusted him, he had no choice but to endure. Victor had saved him as a child, since then, he had known no other family.
Dune’s eyes darkened slightly.
"What?" Victor’s expression twisted. "Didn’t you say it was just a village of weaklings? How did that happen?"
"...what about that fool we made a deal with? That’s why he’s there, isn’t it?"
"Good. He’s dead either way, might as well make him useful. Now go. I want more beasts. I need everything ready before the specimens arrive."
...
However, within a spacious room, the village head, along with the elders, stared at Guren with grave expressions.
Guren’s expression matched their seriousness as he gave a firm nod. He quickly pulled out a map and spread it across the table.
"My team made it as far as the Pulsewood Forest. On the way, it was strangely empty... no beasts at all. But when we got there, we understood why."
"They’ve gathered there. All of them. I believe they’ve been drawn to the pulsewood."
Pulsewood was obtained from trees that had been mutated by elemental energy. Each of them had formed a connection with the WorldPulse, which was why they were used as the basis for writing inscriptions.
In their world, anything was possible.
"I’m sorry, but I was unable to find out more. If we stayed any longer, we would’ve been discovered—"
The village head placed a reassuring hand on his son’s shoulder.
"...father."
The other elders gave nods of approval, faint smiles on their faces.
Guren’s hands tightened into fists before he bowed.
"Hah, listen to him. Hard to believe he’s your son, Omar."
"Focus. How many are we dealing with?"
A dozen! The elders couldn’t help but exchange uneasy glances. Three had already pushed them to such an extent, a dozen was simply...
"Marino, did you not hear him? A dozen mutated beasts." Elder Lass snapped sharply.
"That’s reckless!"
"If I may... I agree with Elder Marino."
"Guren?"
"...what?"
The village head had been hesitant about moving their warriors and leaving the village exposed, but if this was the case, then the situation was far more dire than he had thought.
At those words, the village head turned toward his son, who was meeting his gaze with firm resolve.
The village head’s eyes widened slightly, before a burst of laughter escaped him. The other elders looked on in confusion.
A heavy pressure suddenly surged from him as he swept his gaze across the elders, his eyes burning with renewed resolve.
"...yes, village head."
Perched atop the roof of a nearby building, a short distance from the village head’s house, Zephyrion watched the entire scene unfold, his expression unreadable.