Chapter 126: Entering Unbalanced Streets

Chapter 126: Entering Unbalanced Streets

Kai sprinted through the wastes, chasing down the scent of blood. He could feel it before he could see it, almost like he could see on the other side of the rocks. Instead of going around he leapt directly to the top and found himself staring down at what the locals called a Diresnake.

It was a serpent as thick around as his waist and considerably longer than a person, lurking on the other side of the stones, waiting in ambush. Kai raised a hand, ready to tear it apart with a claw.

The Diresnake turned, far faster than he had expected, and struck out.

All he could do was grab the sides of its flared head, holding it back from biting his face. Its weight drove him off the rock and to the ground, where the Diresnake continued snapping at him. He held it back easily until its tongue flicked out, and to his surprise the barbed tip cut through his cheek.

Most humans would have been at a disadvantage in that situation, but Kai wasn't most humans. Kai opened his mouth, felt his soul gape open, and then closed down around the Direserpent's head. The bite erased the top of the monster and the corpse began twisting and thrashing on the ground.

"Ugh." Kai wiped his mouth as he stood up and stepped away from the body. The cut on his cheek might have been poisoned, but Aquagorgon's Health was already purging it, just like it healed the cut itself. He had more than enough strength and stamina to deal with minor injuries.

If anything, his weakness was probably speed: a supernaturally fast monster could still outpace him. Could he absorb the Direserpent's striking speed somehow? But it also had a dangerous bite and it might be wiser to merge the essence with Isulfr's Bite. Making a monster serve as both passive strength and a technique seemed impossible so far. As he began eating the body, Kai looked inward to be sure of what he absorbed.

Name: Kai Clanless

Total Power: 133

Cultivation: Qi Condensation 90% (22)

Physique Level: E-2 (86)

Soul Level: 5 (25)

Bestial Traits: 11/6 - !!!

Monstrous Hunger - VII (eta)

Direboar's Strength - V (epsilon)

Aquagorgon's Health - V (epsilon)

Gomodo's Stamina - V (epsilon)

Isulfr's Bite - III (gamma)

Tyrant's Claw - II (beta)'s Shell - I (alpha)

Wallcrawler's Feet - I (alpha)

Direserpent (???)

"Of course." The old man immediately lowered his head. "How can I serve you?"

"We're from Romastir, delivering a shipment of supplies. What's going on in New Laeneria?"

"You haven't heard? Lady Omilaena took control of the city."

"I heard that it's descended into chaos. This doesn't look like chaos."

"Well..." The old man looked extremely uncomfortable, but couldn't escape. "It isn't so bad. The soldiers have all moved further out, so they can't harass us. Most neighborhoods defend themselves now. We manage, day to day, but I worry about if monsters attack."

Kai tried to push for more information, but it was clear the old man was frightened and Kai didn't want to terrorize the citizens. When it became clear that there was no critical information to be had, Kai thanked the old man and returned to the wagons.

They began to move again, heading deeper into the city toward the mansion where the buyer supposedly lived. The people on the streets cleared out as they continued and the workers began to look more and more nervous. Kai stayed alert for any change, but could only sense random citizens in the buildings around them... until a more powerful force streaked closer.

"Alright, that's far enough!" A woman carrying an ornate crystal spear that looked far more expensive than everything she was wearing combined jumped into the street in front of them. "Stay right there!"

The caravan halted and Kai automatically examined her with his spiritual sight.

Name: ???

Total Power: 74

Disordered Crystals: 1090 (7)

Physique Level: F-4 (38)

Soul Level: 3 (9)

Crystallier Spear: 20

>

She had 54 natural Power, which was a lot for someone who wasn't a warrior trained from birth. As he'd expected, her spear seemed much stronger than she would normally possess, adding an additional 20. The strangest thing was that she didn't seem to be a crystal cultivator, instead possessing "Disordered Crystals" that granted her much less power. Stolen instead of properly cultivated, perhaps?

As a whole, he guessed that she was the leader of a gang, probably the strongest they could put forward. She could probably have taken many hunters, but she definitely wasn't capable of fighting him... or a crystallier.

"Don't move!" The woman thrust her spear in his direction and he saw desperation in her movement. He'd only half-finished his work on a shroud, so she probably identified him as a crystallier. But if she knew that it would be a pitched fight, why pick it? Something didn't add up.

"We're not moving." Kai raised his hands as if he was harmless and gave her a pleasant smile, though he had a Tyrant's Claw ready. "All we want to do is deliver this shipment of crystals."

"That's exactly what we can't let you do. I know you're a crystallier, and you're probably thinking that you can tear off my head and use it as a ball." The bandit woman gestured with her off hand and the buildings around them began shifting. "But we prepared for this. Every one of those archers is drawing an anti-crystallier arrow, capable of piercing even your defenses."

Kai cursed himself as he realized that they were surrounded. Most of the archers were weak, so he'd barely noticed their presence. But judging from the gleaming tips of those arrows, the threat was very real and they were surrounded.