Chapter 126: A Friends Shadow (2/2)

”Where are you, young serpent?” Nikolai squinted his eyes as he looked around. Then, he began following the freshest tracks of the giant serpent while holding back on snatching the gems in the walls.

There were priorities.

Soon enough, Nikolai found a large bedrock at the end of the tracks. It was surrounded by walls from all sides and looked like a chamber dug inside the cave's walls.

The bedrock was dark, and there were no gems within to light it up. But, as Nikolai began feeling at home, he climbed the rocks to enter the chamber. There was a presence within.

Although he couldn't be seen, Nikolai's instincts screamed at him that whatever here was dangerous. A sea serpent was a powerful monster whose offspring would be no less than an E-rank monster at birth.

Of course, its growth would be quick to arrive to push it toward the B-rank. Those who lived in islands or beside the ocean would tame such monsters and breed them into national treasures.

Nikolai sneaked in as he listened to the quiet breathing of the monster. As told by mana, the life force was weak, and Nikolai realized that this monster might not be in the best of health.

As his eyes scanned the dark interior of the chamber, they fell on a single object in the middle. There was a giant cracked egg and a creature flapping beside it.

”Here you are,” Nikolai looked at the monster, who looked like a more miniature replica than its parent. There was a mucus surrounding the sea serpent, who was as big as Nikolai himself. However, such a size suggests that the egg has just hatched.

”Grrr,” the monster growled as it looked around, and Nikolai saw that its eyes were still closed.

As the previous soldier, ruthless killer, and tortured prisoner stood there, he began pondering what to do with this creature now that he found him.

The giant parent will be returning soon, so Nikolai needed to decide. However, there were no options but three:

The first was to kill this monster and take the stat crystals if they dropped. The second was to capture this monster and sell it somewhere else. The third was to take the gems and leave this monster alive.

The first came from his habits, the second came from his needs, and the third came from his conscience. There was something about taking away a child from its parent, even if they were monsters, that uneased him.

Nikolai fell into a dilemma before he laughed and took out his weapons. This monster might be an E-rank, but the loot it would drop would be pretty bountiful given its potential to grow. There was no need to think, only a need to kill. As Nikolai took the first step, a voice called out for him.

”Bossman!”

Nikolai snapped his head back with surprise as the voice belonged to Sergio. However, there was no one inside the cave. Nikolai was confused as he turned around toward the monster and realized this was its doing.

”A natural ability to affect those who wish you harm?” The antics of this sea serpent amused Nikolai. It seems that the natural ability came as a natural reaction to his killing intent, although the monster couldn't see him.

What bugged Nikolai is that this method worked, as his mind shifted ever so slightly when he remembered the alchemist. His friend would prevent him if he were here.

The alchemist's past was similar to this one, being separated from his parent at an early age. It left him scarred and broken for life, seeking self-harm to shut down his insecurities. However, Nikolai has decided to cut ties with the alchemist.

'But,' Nikolai stared at his hand that was holding one of his weapons. 'I can't bring myself to do it,' he sighed as he turned back toward the monster. 'You bastard,' he glared at the young sea serpent. 'Your plan worked.'

As he lost the desire to kill the serpent's offspring, Nikolai placed his weapons away and resumed thinking about his options. However, Sergio's shadow was behind him, preventing him from doing what he thought was natural.