Chapter 174 - Increasing Combat Power

(Jane's PoV)

It let out a voice resembled to a growl, but somehow sounded like it was saying something. I sratched my head with my finger with my eyebrows arched in annoyance.

It wanted to test my patience?

"Speak properly." I slapped his back hard. "It's clear you can speak since you said that you were hungry and we were delicious. I've said before, don't pretend that you can't talk." I stared at it, colder as the sentences went on.

The chain around its body lit up in a fiery red lines. My eyes fixed on it and found out the unusual pattern on it. Other mystic weapons or tools would have ancient letters on it, but this one didn't have one. The glaring red lines on it instead formed similar to the cracks in the volcanoes, and the source of power inside of it was surprisingly more similar to the molten hot lava.

It was so interesting that I nearly forgot I was interrogating a shadow.

The painful groan escaped from its mouth as soon as the chain lit up. Its body writhed but it couldn't do anything to escape from the chain. Also, I noticed that the chain moved even tighter if it resisted more.

"Ready to talk?" Sanji asked.

I took a long glance at the man on my left side. He was the one that was the most normal one amongst the three of us, but he didn't question about the chain. Heck, he didn't even question why Tom wasn't dead when Tom came that day. It was as if he knew everything and he wasn't feeling curious at all.

If I were him, I would have put an interrogation session for the whole day the moment Tom appeared in front of me. Who wouldn't?

"M-my Master sent m-me he-herre to attack a-anyone related to th-that man." It really could speak! Even though it was stuttering a bit.

I arched my eyebrows. "What do you mean?" Which man?

"You have his scent on you. The man who came from the North." It replied, not stuttering anymore, but I knew it was saying the truth. Fear was still apparent on its hideous face after all.

I sighed. "Say, don't you know this man who came from the North's name?"

It shook its head. "Master only gave me his scent."

Was his master a pervert? I couldn't imagine what he had done to get this man from the North's scent. Did he steal this man's clothes? What a pervert!

"Another question, is your Master a man or a woman?" I asked again, feeling curious with its Master.

"A man." He said.

I blinked my eyes. "Your Master is a pervert. I'll keep you hostage for now. I'll settle the score with your Master later after I finish my business." Whoever this Master was, I needed to meet him for a quick interrogation and probably some demolition.

After all, dealing with black magic practitioner was not my first time. Let's see his motive in attacking me.

Waving my hand, I sent the nasty shadow into the prison of White Army. With tight guard of White Army men, I was sure it couldn't escape. They would know what to do.

"Let's go." Clapping my hands together, I restarted our trip.

Tom and Sanji didn't say anything and resumed their position. I thought it was our last time dealing with shadows in the forest, turned out before we reached the river, we met another four ambushes. Since I had used my imperfect ultimate skill once in the beginning, I didn't use it again. Not because I didn't have appropriate power to create the same trick, but it would consume my energy and the effect would be pretty grave.

Not that I would get injured or anything, rather, I would sleep for two days, at least, to replenish my energy.

It was fine if we were only at home, but falling asleep in the middle of a forest that I had never visited before... wasn't funny at all.

Ever since I showed them my skill, Tom and Sanji had started to be even more vigorous in fighting the shadows. Their skills got even better as time passed. No, rather than their skill, it was safe to say that their combat power increased. Compared with the first time they fought with these shadows, the way they used their skills looked even more swift and precise which resulted in the time they finished sweeping the shadows into thin air.

Also, both of them got into harmony easily during the fight. They started to trust their backs to each other, that made me almost like I could do nothing. Like I was a third-wheel.

Well, it was a joke. They would scold me for having that thought, I knew.

I only got a little bit of action during the fight since they didn't allow me to spoil their training practices. All I could do was be their fourth eyes -since Sanji's third eyes was Tom and Tom's third eyes was Sanji. Whenever a shadow found an opening that neither Tom nor Sanji noticed, I would act and save those two asses.

I doubt they knew about it since they were too engrossed in fighting.

Anyway, long story short, because of those disturbances along the way, we could only reach the river in the middle of the day. Even so, I was still happy because the reality was even more beautiful than the picture in the brochure.

The water was cold and fresh. The stones that scattered on the bank and in the river, even if they were scalding hot from being roasted under the sun, looked so amazingly wonderful. I took a deep breath. The air in the forest, even though felt fresh, but it was a bit damp. The smell of rotten trees was a bit more imminent than in the other part of the forest.

However, the fresh air in the river was a bit different. Which was why I was so excited the moment I stepped onto the stones on the bank.

"Jane, be careful!" Sanji reminded me as he kept his pace to match mine.

"Okay!" I replied. Of course, I would be careful. I didn't want to slip and hit my head on the hard rock accidentally.

I went to find a shade to sit down and at the same time playing with water. But, hahaha... it was all just my wishful thinking. I really couldn't find such spot here. If it were still at ten in the morning, I wouldn't hesitate to sit down under the sun light while playing with water.

However, it had passed twelve! The sun was obviously not playing around at this particular time. It was like the sun was on rage, screaming 'burn! burn!' while pouring its heat to Earth.

So, no. I wouldn't do something that harmful to my own body.

"Let's cross the river!" I said to the both of them after tasting the water with my hands for a while.

"I thought you still want to play with water." Tom peered into me in confusion.

"No, thanks. The sun is definitely waiting for me to do it, but I'm not going to satisfy its wish."

"Heh, what a way to say that you're afraid to be burned." Tom smirked.

"Let's go!" Ignoring his teasing remarks, I hopped from one stone to another until I finally reached the opposite side of the river.

But, this side was a bit strange. My eyes focused on the forest as I felt something was waiting for me to get inside. It was as if I was walking into a trap.

I frowned. What trap could it be?

"What is it?" Tom asked as he peered into the forest, following my action.

"Something is here." Sanji said coldly. He must have sensed it, too.

"No shit, Sherlock." Tom grunted. I didn't see it but I knew he was sneering at Sanji. "So, are we going to stand here all day long?"

He was right. No matter how uneasy I was feeling, I couldn't stop here. Stepping forward, I stayed alerted just in case it was another ambush.

The atmosphere in the forest was totally different with the other side of the river. This time, it was even denser and more powerful than before. I frowned as I noticed the presence of stronger entity around. I became even more wary because I could only sense the presence but I couldn't see it.

"Come out." I said as my eyes darted here and there to find the owner of this suppressing ability.

Tom and Saji were ready to battle at anytime. However, since the enemy still refused to show themselves, they could only maintain their alert stance all the times.

My voice echoed slightly in the calm forest. Following that, a big shadow loomed all over us. I frown as the shadow tried to intimidate us.

Is it seriously trying to intimidate me? Who told him to do something like this? Was it still the same master as the ones before? If it was, I guess I needed to meet this master before I could continue my journey.

I closed my eyes and waved my hand towards the shadow which was still refusing to come out obediently and instead only using his lousy skill to scare us. A shriek was heard as I successfully hooked my fingers into its body. Following after that, something fell right in front of us, creating a loud thumping sound.

Opening my eyes, I smirked as I stared at the one who was still sprawling on the ground in front of me.