Chapter 174: The Hermits Identity (1/2)

”I asked you. What's wrong with my skin?!”

Now it's not just agitation anymore, there was also anger and dejection.

Does this hermit really have that skin color? I know I only tried to guess. But to get the correct answer… luck?

Why is an Anzean here? No, in the first place, why didn't he attack me immediately? Instead of attacking, he talked to me and asked for my purpose. In fact, I could've died if he shot that gun right after appearing in front of me.

I couldn't say I was careless. I really didn't see him coming despite my enhanced intuition and my Adaptability which could detect danger. It's like I was outclassed by him in Sneak levels.

”I actually just made a guess. But if you asked what's wrong about it. I only know that this world was being attacked by an Alien Civilization with dark green skin. As to my interaction with them, I was being chased by them yesterday but I managed to shake them off.”

If my guess is correct, this one didn't even know that he's an Anzean. How is that even possible?

”…Alien Civilization? Am I not from this world?”

”Don't ask me. I still haven't seen you due to this gun in front of my face. Do you not know your own origin?”

That doubt in the Hermit's voice sounded real. Was that why the others always attack him? When they saw that dark green skin, they determined that he's an Anzean. Possible. Maybe I could learn something from this guy. Apart from pointing that gun at me, he didn't have any hostility. He just really wanted to be left alone.

”No… I was born and raised here at this land.”

”You're raised here? Where are your parents?”

”Dead.”

”I see. I'm sorry for your loss. But as per my experience with you. You're not actually violent. If you don't want me here then I will leave, just tell me one thing… what happened to the ethnic tribes?”

They're one of the reasons why I went here and Nysia recommended for me to do my attempt at Transcendence here, if I leave, I only have more than a day left to find a hidden place like this.

The trees here even if they're already scorched were all at least 30 meters, the Door of Transcendence both appeared at that height during Yumiko and Yuko's Transcendence. That's also probably how it happened for Nysia.

”Dead.”

”Huh?”

”Mutant Beasts. They got strong enough to overwhelm them. Because of my skin color, they loathed me and never asked for my help.”

”I see. Thank you for answering. I'll turn around and leave now. That's what you want, right?”

I don't know if what he said is real. I guess I'll just have to make sure not to alarm him when I ventured further to confirm his claim.

He's an Anzean as he claimed to be, though he's not as violent as one would expect of an enemy, I couldn't just take all his words at face value.

”Yes.”

After 30 minutes of walking back from the way I came from, the sense of danger on the back of my head vanished.

That Hermit finally put away his gun.

A few seconds later, I heard the sound of his footsteps when he acted as if he was going back. He probably thought I wouldn't notice but he only maintained a certain distance and hid to observe me.

I'll play his game then.

Having decided that, I made sure not to lose him from my range of detection.

To not let him be suspicious, I continued walking for another 30 minutes straight outward the Scorched Forest.

Like I thought, he continued following me.

I acted as if I looked back to see if he was still behind me and sighed in relief.

Without letting him know I was aware of his presence, I changed my direction to test him. To the opposite direction from where we came from.

I don't need to be in conflict with someone without hostility against me.

However, that Hermit was certainly curious about me or just wanted to make sure I would really leave like I told him.

Soon enough, the former was proven to be the answer, he's still behind me without trying to expose himself…

Is it because of what I said? I don't know.

In any case, I continued to walk further in and he continued following.

Along the way, I met with the Mutant Beasts Nysia mentioned through them and I confirmed that it's not as weak as she described. Like that Hermit said, they evolved and have gotten stronger.

The first Mutant Beast I encountered was a lamia-like beast, instead of a human upper body, it has a wolf head and more importantly, its skin was completely black. Like scorched black. The same as the trees and the ground in this place. If it didn't move and exuded its killing intent, I wouldn't notice it.

Before it could even approach me, I swiftly killed it without batting an eye. It's anticlimactic but apart from a Transcendent or that Hermit's gun, nothing could threaten me now.