"I saw what you did to Delta, can you do it to other mutated animals?"
Earlier before Rex departed to the Dark Elf Kingdom for the Divine Chalice, he came back to the castle and instantly came to meet with Calidora. He had already taken a fresh air to cool his mind, and that was all he needed to push on.
Aside from doing the Race Evolution Quest and healing the Countess, he had one more thing.
He wanted to turn Caraptaros into a Werewolf.
But in order for him to do that, he needs to weaken Caraptaros greatly.
One ingredient, that the System suggested, was a specific mutated snake's venom—but that was suggested, before the Second Breath happened. Now that the world changed, with a lot of ninth-rank realm mutated animals roaming around, he tallied there would be other kinds of mutated snake that could weaken Caraptaros' durability.
Finding them, however, would be a problem for Rex as he has no time on his hands.
Due to that, he remembered the incident between Calidora and Delta.
"Hmm? What did I do?" Calidora asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and crossing her legs.
Rex then replied, "Delta was hostile to you, but you tamed her easily"
"Ah... that," She eventually nodded, understanding what Rex meant. "It's easy to do, actually, I only need to hypnotize her by making her perceive me, as someone she trusts. It wasn't me taming her. My eyes are quite useful, and it's all thanks to you"
Upon hearing this, Rex cleared his throat, "So, can you do it on other mutated animals?"
"Not all, most of them don't have someone they trust but I could try," Calidora replied.
Nodding his head, he then proceeds to ask her to find the mutated snake with a venom that has a weakening effect, not a lethal effect. Since Rex rarely asked her for anything Calidora, as expected, was excited to help him.
...
Back to the present.
Oblivious to what Evelyn was thinking, Rex glanced his eyes around.
He recalled that moment with Calidora because he could sense her blood energy nearby.
It was the mutated animals she hypnotized.
Even though she was weakened from having her blood energy sucked by the baby inside of her—she was still far, from being weak. I was hoping for Calidora to at least look around the Humming Damned Forest, but to think she was able to go even beyond the Chrono Hollow.
Naturally, Rex was impressed by this.
Shifting his focus back to the moment, the group eventually reached the rock formation.
Climbing it was rather easy, the backside of the rock formation was not a steep slope.
Upon reaching the top, Rex shoved Catherine forward.
"Call for your friends," He instructed sternly. "Don't even try anything, it's useless"
In response, Catherine glanced at Rex with a malleable gaze, her golden eyes were pleading but she was met with Rex's crimson, demanding gaze, that brooked no refusal. Having not a single choice other than this, she turned to the horizon, and began to helplessly channel her holy energy.
Swish...
Her form glowed and shimmered with a golden light, befitting the Angel she was.
Rex watched the flow of her energy closely from behind.
And surprisingly, he made an interesting observation as he gazed up at the clear bright sky.
She was weak, but her energy doubled, almost tripled suddenly.
Unlike Werewolves who drew power from the moon or the Undead who drew power from the surrounding death, Catherine seemed to draw power from the sky. On top of the energy that was inside her, she was supplied by more holy energy coming from the sky.
Observing this, Rex realized that Angels would always have an advantage in fights.
As long as the sky was above, they were empowered. Nighttime shouldn't be a problem too.
"What about now, anything?" She asked.
Upon hearing this, Catherine paused for a second before she stuttered, "N- No..."
Evelyn frowned when she heard this, 'Usually—she always replied instantly out of Rex's fear, but now there was a brief hesitation in her answer. She was being truthful until this moment, she's definitely lying now'
Suspicious, Evelyn stepped forward and held Catherine by her shoulder, "Tell me the truth,"
"I'm here, and I could help you by persuading Rex to spare your friends. But in order for me to do that—you need to tell the truth. Did you find one of your friends?" She continued—making use of soft persuasion.
As opposed to telling the truth, Catherine shook her head, "No, I found nobody"
She then glanced over to Rex, who was mostly watching over Mavenna blocking the mutated scorpions and occasionally swatting some that managed to go past her, "Don't try to trick me—It's you who would kill my friends if I found them"
Hearing the sudden remarks, Evelyn was taken aback, "What makes you say that?"
"Him..." Catherine pointed at Rex. "His presence is radiating with evil, but I don't know, I can't really picture him being dirty. He threatened me and seemed vicious—but I can't picture him, dirtying himself with blood, he's too grand to do that"
Rex's royal attires and knowing that he was the Emperor made Catherine think that.
He threatens, but he wouldn't stoop low enough to do the bad things himself.
On the other hand, Catherine had seen many people like Evelyn, graceful but sadistic inside.
Upon hearing this, Evelyn shook her head and smiled wryly, 'She really doesn't know Rex...'
Contrary to refuting Catherine's words—as that would be harder to do, Evelyn decided to go along with her, "You got me," She said, chuckling lightly. "You have a knack for sensing evil— as expected of an Angel so let me be blunt... I'm getting impatient here,"
Feeling the hot air turning cold, Catherine glanced over to Evelyn and gasped.
She was greeted by Evelyn's eyes gleaming purple with malice.
"I don't care about your friends, our enemies are the Angel legion that came to our continent uninvited. But if you keep dragging this alone—a few words from me and your Angels will be treated the same as the Angel legion.
I don't know the situation in your home continent—but here, we have the power, and all high-rank Supernatural races and also Humans would unite to take you down," Evelyn threatened, her tone dripping with evil intentions.
"If I say so, they would be face-down against the earth by the end of this day" She added.
Listening to this, Catherine gulped harshly, sweating at the threat.
Biting her lower lip, feeling that Evelyn was being serious, she eventually yielded.
Facing her golden harp again she plucked a couple of strings and turned to face Evelyn once again, "I called him already, he will be here in a few minutes if he rushes. Please, don't punish him for trying to save his own race..."
Cracking a smile, Evelyn nodded, "That would depend entirely on him,"
Striding away, she went over to Rex and reported to him about the good news.
Meanwhile, several miles from the castle where Rex and the others resided, a settlement of a few thousand desert Orc, thrived. A combination of multiple tribes, and their pale brown skin, burly bodies, and muscles marked them unmistakably as desert dwellers.
Among them stood a man who seemed out of place.
From his stature alone, he was obviously not an Orc, but rather a Human instead.
Clad in a simple white, and gold cloak with buzz-cut white hair—he had a beautiful levitating white lance, behind him. As of this moment—he was conversing amicably, with a desert Orc, but as they spoke, his eyes flickered, his eardrums catching a familiar note.
'Catherine...? Why is she here? And why is she calling me?' the man pondered in confusion.
Realizing that something must've happened—he glanced to the side, his countenance, was sharpening with recognition. Standing up, he turned to the desert Orc, "I'm sorry my friend, but I fear this is where I say goodbye. Thank you for the information..."
"Radiel-friend, no worry. Safe journey to you!" the desert Orc replied and waved his hand.
Upon bidding his farewell, the man, Radiel pivoted to the note's direction.
Swoosh!
With a simple shrug, a pair of astral wings materialized from his steel pauldrons, transforming into a physical form of white feathers. Making a powerful leap—he ascended into the sky like a bird, blitzing toward the source of the call.