Chapter 87: Bag of Doubts

Those who were able scrambled towards the prison cell. There they saw Yaluk curling unconscious on the wooden floor. Passing was an empty cell used to keep the bandaged assassin. What remained was the ragged bandages and no figure. It would be hard for them to recognize the assassin since he was covered in bandages before.

"Find him!" Lady Darcey cried. Gripping the staff between her hand. And muttered between her teeth. "He won't get away far! Yes, he won't, this is a vast ocean. Scattered Bay ain't that large, but his chances of finding a ship are slim to none."

Ned was admiring the vastness and endless uncertainty of the ocean when he picks a sudden movement behind his back. After devouring, Ned's senses almost reached its peak, his hearings, sudden motions around him he could instantly visualize, and sure he was. Lady Darcey approached him from behind.

At his side was Anita, standing straight, with her hands behind her waist, and Ned could only listen to her humming. Behind Anita was Hocoff, the towering giant, piped with a series of clothing, inside was a black vest covered with another brown leather long sleeves and black trousers without any shoes. Ned wasn't bothered how awkward Hocoff's clothing was.

Ned glanced Lady Darcey's reddish eyes, but aside from that, she was far better than before, but still, due to his pierce senses, Ned could visualize the sudden jerking of her shoulder. He could recognize how tense she was.

"What seems to be the matter, Lady Darcey?" Ned said. leaning against the wooden edges with his elbows tucked inside the railings.

"Lad, can I talk to ye, alone?" she asked. Wasn't sure if how Ned would react or the puppet girl with her sudden intrusion. But by all means, she has all the right, she was; after all, the Lobby's captain.

Ned turned his head towards Anita and back to Lady Darcey. "What could go wrong talking with me and a child," he said. "No offense Lady Darcey, I trusted Anita more than you lot."

Lady Darcey frowned, but she got no time to waste and let it slip. "Understandable," she muttered. Walked opposite to Ned, and opposite to the puppet girl. "The assassin was gone."

"So as Sisi," Ned replied indifferently. "How long are you gonna make her wait? Also, your tamed beast, tell him to finish the Redcap. It won't do him any good if the battle drags too long."

"Lad, I thank ye for saving us. This will be a moment where I owe ye," she said in a serious tone followed by her rough eyebrows knitted together. "But ye telling me what to do is excessive on me side. I'll let it pass. We both knew what we've been through. Also—" looking at her tamed beast shifted her gazed at the ocean and back at Ned—"Me self will lend an ear after I ask ye a series of questions."

Without waiting for Ned to reply, Lady Sisi muttered some words. In just a spun of seconds, her tamed beasts cut the feathered throat of the Redcap wing. The latter fell and swirling—splashing the ocean.

"I might need the corpse of the Redcap," Ned said.

"What for?" she said. "Nevermind. If that's what ye want. As for Sisi, we both know what she is. Me and the crew will owe ye another if we keep Sisi's secret."

Ned nodded and smile. And the latter thanks with joy. "But, Sisi's been under for too long." ICE, how long can I hold my breath underwater, add it with pressure.

[Six minutes, tops.]

Too short. Ned thought.

"She'll be fine—or not! Ayo! She was chained!" Lady Darcey cried. Her ebony leg reflects sunlight that Ned couldn't ignore when she tried to lift a leg and jump to save Sisi. But was stopped by Ned halfway.

Resting his shoulder on the captain's shoulder. Ned gestured with head to not jump.

"Anita," Ned said. "Remember the girl you almost attacked days ago?"

"Aye! Aye! brother!" Anita leaped with joy talking to her big brother.

I see. Playing with her words. Ned thought. "Well, she's underwater, can you swim?"

"Yes big brother, do you want Anita to save her?"

Lady Darcey frowned, and the corner of her mouth quirked up. "Ye want her, to save her?" she said.

"Can you swim with your condition?" Ned replied.

Lady Darcey could only look behind Ned towards the puppet girl and moved a step back.

"That's what I thought," Ned said. Turned her gaze to Anita and said. "Save her."

Anita, an obsessive sister to his brother jumped off the ship and went underwater to save Sisi.

Seconds passed, a loud wood cracking echoed the ship. The evolved rook carried the lifeless redcap back to their ship. With the fighting finished, the rook's massive body emits black light. Against the light, the rook shrunk. It shrunk until it became the size of a beast enough to rest on her master's shoulder.

Ned saw the transformation. Was bewildered that his blood could turn monsters to a new kind. It might need more of my blood. Ned thought. Or not. Coco. Ned paused near the Redcap wing and crossed his arms across his chest. Before. I could make Coco transform using my blood. But Coco needed more of it every time he transforms. That's because he was still young. But what if. What if the magical beast I'm giving my blood is already an adult. Will they maintain the form. Or do they need more of my blood?

With a thought. Before he could do an experiment on the redcap. Ned spun around and looked at the rook resting at his master's shoulder.

The rook. To Ned's surprise was gawking at Ned as well. "Well, there goes my assumptions," Ned muttered "His intelligence remained. Which means... "

The rest of the crew was bewildered with the redcap in the middle of their deck. Some of the crew was confused as to why it was there. But was even startled when a black mist enveloped across the Lobby.

The rook could transform into its final form on his own free will. So that's it. Ned thought. My blood unlocks and helped them achieve their final form. But maybe not entirely their final form, maybe just one step higher. I needed more time to analyze how this works.

[Your blood. Since it's consist of only pure mana. For them, it was a blessing. A world where mana so thin. You, Ned, was like a walking fountain of pure mana. The moment it enters the body of a magical beast. It gets rid of all the impurities they had. And helped them achieve a feat that would take them years to reach.]

ICE prompted with added information. But for Ned, it wasn't sufficient. Ned replied. What if it destroys them on the inside. Just like with Coco. What if it's too much for them to handle. Will they go berserk or just... die.

[We would need more time and experiment to look for the best answer to your question.]

With the rook gone back to its normal form, Ned proceeds to walk near the Redcap's corpse. Judging by its strength, this redcap was on a later stage of Grade A.

Ned walked around the corpse, the rest of the crew was confused as to what a kid would do to it. Some of them remained and watch Ned with excitement.

"Look at him, so young, yet full of confidence," one of the crew with seashell covering her chest and hanging on her ears talked about Ned with delight. As if the fight they've been too didn't occur a while ago.

"Shh," one of the crew elbowed the crew with seashells. "Let's go." Without a thought, the crew that was supposed to watch Ned moved when they saw Lady Darcey's piercing eyes gawking at them.

Ned spun the corpse, checking every part of the Redcap wing. According to his master. Beasts that were rare; rarely venture outside their own territory. Ned wondered how did Yaluk get a hold of the Redcap wing when its territory was mostly dry. And their species lived in a hot temperature, like dessert or near volcanoes. Not all of the magical beasts were taught to him by Master Will. But, Redcap was one of the beasts Ned learned.

"Its talon is good for making blades, especially for making a poisonous tip," Ned muttered. Still checking the corpse. "Unfortunately, its talon is gone, the same goes for the beak."

Due to the capability of flying magical beasts to travel to different locations. They were also forced to eat whatever they could find. Be it weaker magical beasts, plants, and some even ate stones just to fill their belly. And this was Ned was looking for. Rare gemstones that worth thousands of Picas. Some of these gems are difficult to find and one could live their entire life without seeing such precious gems.

Ned gave up though. Its beak was broken and less than half remained. Which means no luck with the gemstones. Aside from its talon, and beaks that could be used to craft shields and other utility tools. There was nothing left. "Its ragged bones were useless, too impure," Ned said. "Yaluk must have kept the Redcap inside other dimensions for too long." Ned sighed.

[How about you devour it, Ned.]

ICE chimed in Ned's head.

[It died just recently it wasn't too long. Its core is still intact.]

Ned spun his head, checking for others before he could use his devour skill. It might be too much for the others to see him devour a corpse. Not that he cared since the crew already saw him devour thousands of rook. Luckily, it was just Lady Darcey. "We both have our secrets," Ned said and smiled.

With a thought, he raised his hand. Then black energy started to surge out his chest, coiled to his limbs down to his arms. The black energy spun turned to mist. And like a hungry lion, it lunged towards the Redcap wing corpse. Seconds passed and a ripple of energy waved at the silent deck. The mist covered the corpse entirely. Like a mountain of black mist, it devoured the Grade A magical beasts.

With a flick of his thought, Ned analyzed the data once again.

[Prime Evolution.]

As cool as it sounds; is the worst I could get. Ned thought.

[Devour 1,000 core to evolve to the next level.]

[Current progress 252/1,000 Cores.]

[Evolved to the next level to unlock the effects.]

[Level 1 Effect: ????]

So Grade A beasts are worth 50 points. Ned thought and sighed. This could take a while. Where would I find a swarm of magical beasts if ever I felt hungry? Damn this Rassus! Leaving me a curse. Could he just die? Ned cursed inwardly. Well... any information about Marks is my first priority. And I hope Roy could help me with it.