Chapter 568 568: A Reflection

Somewhere in a forest, hidden in the shadows of trees—a hum whispered. If someone from Earth were to listen to the tune of his quiet hum, they might recognize it from one of their cartoons.

The hum was not coming from the trees, however, but further beneath; in a cave hidden away even from the shadows outside. And if one were to enter that cave, they would find that the sound of the hum came not from one, but 3 people.

4 people that looked completely identical to each other. 3 people that were cutting up a body.

And of course, the three were none other than Riley and his clones; the body they're cutting up, James. Two of the clones pull on James's hard flesh and skin, while Riley cuts it up finely with a very thin string—a string made of heat. As for the last clone, he was responsible for carefully placing James's body parts inside a white sack.

Riley moved to a cave as he didn't want James's blood to attract the wildlife. After all, even if animals are instinctively scared of him, they would surely change their mind as soon as they see the free meal they could scavenge.

"So it's true…" The clone responsible for putting different parts of James inside a sack breathed out as raised James's dismembered left foot, "...Female themarians are biologically stronger than their male counterparts."

"I suppose," Riley nodded, "Aerith's flesh was harder and her bones were multiple times stronger."

"Even her titties?"

"Shut the fuck up, normie."

"What did you say to me?"

"..." Riley only blinked as his two clones that were pulling on James's body parts started arguing. But still, they did not stop stretching James's body so that Riley would be able to finely and expertly cut up his body.

Still, his clones have a point. Now that James was no longer using his… themarian energy, his flesh, and bones were much softer than before. Of course, it still almost felt like Riley was cutting through diamond.

If James and Aerith did have a similarity, however, it would be their organs—nigh impenetrable. Even with the heat of the inside of the sun torching them, they remain completely without a scratch.

…Do they train their organs? Or does it get stronger with age?

Both of James's sons, Fionn and Tavi, died easier than both their parents—their organs could be squished if Riley pressed hard enough, but Fionn's?

Riley then pulled out James's heart, before trying to squash it with his hands. The only thing that happened, however, was his heart expanding like a balloon and getting through the gaps between Riley's fingers.

"Hm…" Riley nodded before cutting the veins and throwing it to his clone, who also proceeded to try and squash it.

The four continued masterfully butchering James's body. And finally, after what seemed like an entire hour, Riley carefully placed James's bald head inside the sack.

"Good job, everyone," Riley then patted his hands clean as he looked at his clones. As for the clones, they all just bowed; with one of them saluting as they all very slowly melted and disintegrated back to the ground.

"Hm," a small sigh escaped Riley's lips as he looked at the clumps of mud on the ground; his eyes, completely empty as he closed them. But after a few seconds, he nodded his head and said,

"Thank you, everyone."

And then, with another sigh, he picked up his loot and carried it behind his back.

"I suppose it's time to pick a hole," Riley then whispered to himself as he started walking out of the cave. Now that his game with James was done, it was time for him to return to the surface—if someone were to spot him above, then he could just use his authority as a fake Champion Sergeant of the Grand Militia and show James's head—he is wanted, after all.

Also, perhaps it was time for him to explore Theran by himself. Zac was very useful to have beside him, but he had too many opinions. And even for Riley, who had trouble interpreting what people were thinking, it was almost as if he could hear Zac's thoughts just shouting at him.

He was noisy without even talking.

"...Who?"

And before Riley could take a step out of the cave, several silhouettes showed themselves in front of him.

"..." Riley turned to look at who it was, only to see 3 women and one man completely unfamiliar to him. Judging by their smaller eyes and slightly more colorful skin, the four were probably from Varoif.

Does that mean Riley was beneath Varoif? Did the bird really take him to the other side of the planet?

Riley then turned to look at the faces of the four; the four, however, were looking back and forth between Riley and the white sack he was carrying… which was obviously dripping blood on the ground.

"..."

"..."

Riley returned their gazes as he tightened his grip on the sack. It took him an entire hour to finely butcher James's body—if they were to fight here, the sack would surely burst. He…

…needed to subdue these three as fast as—

"I told you someone already accepted the fucking mission before us!" And before Riley could finish his thoughts, the woman with the shortest hair amongst the 3 groaned, "This is why I don't like accepting Open Missions!"

"Stop being dumb, Aita. Do you think a Ratking would actually fit inside that small sack?"

Riley then turned to look at the other woman who seemed to be the oldest—and aside from Diana, this was probably the first time he was seeing a themarian wearing a pair of glasses. Riley initially thought Diana's glasses were purely just fashion…

…could it be that there are themarians that don't have perfect vision?

"Good evening, sir." The last woman had a more peaceful voice than the two; a contrast to her curly orange hair that bounced with each movement,

"Did you accept the Ratking subjugation mission?"

"..." Riley looked at the woman for a few seconds, before shaking his head, "No."

"Then what's that on your back?" The feisty woman with short hair, Aita, slightly squinted her eyes as she looked at Riley's sack.

"It's a bald themarian, Ms. Aita. I cut him up in multiple pieces."

"..."

"..."

"Pft," Aita then suddenly burst out in laughter before slamming her palm at the back of the woman with glasses, causing her to almost tumble forward, "Did you hear that, Milla? We got us a murderer here."

"Can you not?" Milla quickly adjusted her glasses as she stepped back, "Rylo, control your sister!"

"Stop fighting each other, Aita."

And finally, the only man in the group spoke; the tone of his voice, calm and clear as he chuckled and brushed up his sleek black hair, "You're embarrassing us in front of a stranger."

"Oh, right…" The woman with the curly orange hair also stepped forward as she bowed to Riley,

"...My name is Pia, and these are my friends."

"My name is Riley."

"You… look quite familiar."

"I doubt it. Have you ever seen a man white long white hair and skin as smooth as your fucking butt?"

"Aita!"

"Riley? That almost sounds like my name."

"Well…" Riley then blinked his eyes a couple of times as he looked at the group; slightly tilting his head to the side,

"...All of you look quite familiar too."

Aita, a brash woman who is the sister of the only man in the group.

Milla, a mature woman who is the professor of the only man in the group.

Pia, a woman with orange hair that seemed to be too friendly and sticking too close to the only man in the group.

And finally, a man named Rylo.

Why… do they seem so familiar?

"None of that fucking matters," Aita stuck out her tongue as she stepped into the cave and walked past Riley, "Let's go hunt that giant rodent before someone else comes here."

"Are you sure it's even here?" Milla followed.

"A little trust here?"

"I don't trust you."

"The fuck? What else could leave those freakishly freakish footprints? You?"

"Enough," Rylo slightly raised his voice as he too started entering the cave, "Let's just check inside, and if it's not then… we just go to a different cave."

"Wait, guys…" Pia was the only one that seemed unsure in the group, "...Are you sure we can handle a Ratking with just us four?"

"Four? What do you mean four?" Aita smirked as she looked at Riley,

"...We have a new friend."