Book 4: Chapter 1: A Race Against Time

Book 4: Chapter 1: A Race Against Time

Scarlet

A loud hissing sound fills the cavern as I stand opposite the two-dozen-meter-long snake, watching as it hatefully glares at me while covered in wounds. Meanwhile all of my own wounds quickly regenerate, Blood Regeneration having climbed all the way to level nineteen over the past few months Ive spent training here.

I growl back at the basilisk, flexing my claws a little as the tips of my fingers, which had been scraped raw after my last clash with the serpents scales, finally finish regrowing.

The basilisk itself is only level four hundred and sixty, an entire thirty-one levels beneath me. But it has skills that put a lot of the other demons here to shame, along with an incredibly durable set of scales over its body. Scales strong enough that even my Metallicized Blood barely cuts through them, and thats only while damaging both my claws and fingers in the process.

A rather terrifying defense for something that much lower level than me.

Its to be expected though, considering that the basilisks are the strongest demons in the Ashen Mountains hunting grounds belonging to the kitsune.

Unfortunately there arent really any Class IV hunting grounds, with the exception of the Demon Kings continent at the center of the world. Or the oceans themselves. The rest are all just for Class IIs and IIIs.

The basilisk lets out another loud hiss, prompting me to rush forwards while covered in black, red, and blue electricity from Crimson Overdrive as I drive my spread out claws straight into the wounded creatures head. My hand drills into its eye now that its too wounded to cover its head or move fast enough to dodge it, following which I dig my other hand in and begin wrenching its eye apart in two directions. Then, as the creature lets out a very loud screeching hiss, I finish ripping its eye in two and dig my way straight inside of its head to find its brain.

But the thing dies before I can.

{Level 460 Basilisk defeated. A massive EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature thirty or more levels below your level.}

Damnit, I swear before scowling at its corpse and walking away, finally having learned how to speak from Leonidas while in my Beast Form about a month ago.

I need to find something else to hunt. Something stronger.The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to N0v3l--B1n.

I look at the pile of ashes for a few seconds before deciding that I dont have the time to question it as I meet his eyes and ask, Can you bring me somewhere that has Class IV demons for me to fight? I want to reach Class IV by the time the sun rises.

He blinks at that in surprise, only to frown.

That isnt a good sign.

Even if you do reach level five hundred today, you wont be able to get all of the Catalysts needed to reach Class IV by the time the sun rises, he plainly states, making my eyes go wide in shock at the realization that hes probably right. I can still bring you there if you want, but dont get your hopes up if thats the goal youre shooting for.

Please take me, I ask him, sincerely asking someone for help for the first time in my life.

Wait, this is the first time? Tar asks, sounding incredulous about that fact.

Yes. It is.

Every other time Ive gotten help it was never due to me asking for it. It was from someone else giving it to me without me asking, either doing it just to help me of their own accord or doing it as a favor that I would return later on.

Ive never personally asked someone for help before.

Wow Tar mutters, meanwhile Gramps scratches his chin for a moment before shrugging.

Alright, he says, picking me up into a princess carry seconds later as my transformation suddenly reverses. Likely his own doing. He then looks down at me with a smile and says, Lets go.

Everything turns red.