"It must be this guy who brings these bad lucks. We never met these trouble before." Staring at Rocky with anger, Archer found fault in him.
"Yes, he is a nobody and could not even help us. Tod, I suggest not having him stay with us."
"I agree."
"Me, too."
Other spirit manipulators had expressed their ill feelings towards Rocky. These ill feelings stemmed from them being wounded lightly or heavily and boiled their anger about these misfortunes toward Rocky.
"The wild spirit-manipulated beast in the second district is more powerful. The two beasts we just killed along the way may just be their weak minions. The one we're about to face will be stronger as we get closer and closer to the center of the Spiritual Fairyland. These misfortunes we faced have nothing to do with this man," Tod said sternly. He knew in himself that they should not be blaming others. He knew that they got hurt because they were not powerful enough.
"But I still have no good feelings about him," Archer said unreasonably.
"All right! Let's move! We don't have much time to spend here. It will be better if we hurry and catch the other troops in our way." Tod gave a nod to Archer which eased him up.
Then, the team moved forward. Time flashed before their eyes and the fifth day had begun.
Tod wasn't wrong when he told his team about the beasts getting stronger as they approached the center of the Spiritual Fairyland. Their fighting agility declined as they travelled further, fighting spirit-manipulated beasts along their way.
The fighting troop reached their limits. And Tod remained pensive. If they continued, their team might head into a collapse before even meeting another wild beast.
"We must stop right here, right now," Tod said in dismay. If they went further, they might just lose their lives.
"No! We must go on! We overcame a lot of difficulties to reach this point and giving up right now would not be even a choice!"
"That's right! The treasure and the spiritual beast is near."
"Leaving this place would mean us leaving empty-handed. That can't happen!"
The spirit manipulators shouted their disagreements after hearing Tod's sentiments.
"Tod, we may be tired but we are fine. We can go further," Archer added, now injured yet unwilling to go back either.
Crossing his arms, Rocky, on th
t manipulators rushed to go through by force. It shot its paralyzing and poisonous stings like raining cats and dogs.
Archer and the other spirit manipulators knew nothing about the venom of the Centipede-snake. The spirit manipulators who were shot by the Centipede-snake with the poisonous stings were immediately paralyzed and quickly fell onto the ground. Everyone turned pale with fear. Now, the Centipede-snake rushed to them as if they were a meal waiting to be eaten alive.
"Tod, help!" Archer exclaimed in terror. His arrogance had disappeared and he looked embarrassed.
The situation was out of control. Tod didn't know what to do; even he wanted to get them out the danger. He was no match for this beast, either. If he went to fight with it, he was to end his life instead of saving others. He had told them to retreat, but nobody followed him. It was his troop who put their own lives at risk.
In this life-and-death situation, protecting himself was a choice, because Tod believed heaven destroys those who do not look out for themselves.
When Archer and the other spirit manipulators were about to be eaten alive by the Centipede-snake, a man came to save them without being seen by anyone and left them astonished. Shining brightly, the Frozen Wind Dagger slashed on the center of the Centipede-snake.
Howling because of pains, Centipede-snake wagged his body ferociously which led to half of the woods destroyed.
The mysterious figure jumped backwards and landed on the ground, far from the terrified spirit manipulators.