Chapter 174: The Hermits Identity (2/2)

From how hard it was for my sword to stab it, I estimated that it was at least in the middle of Rank 4 Mortal, a far cry from the information Nysia mentioned, a Silver-rank or Rank 2 Mortal.

If I factor the time from when she was heer, it wasn't impossible for them to evolve their strength since everything was able to naturally absorb the Meta Energy, albeit it differs from person to person.

Ah. About my Sword Mastery, it was stuck at 99%. I don't know what happened to it but it already reached 99% when I knocked down the ice-blue Metagen of one of the triplets back then. After that, it never gained any experience again when I fought the other two.

Am I missing something?

As I continued to venture further inside, the Mutant Beasts gradually grew stronger as if I was just at the outskirts earlier and I'm approaching the center where it was occupied by the King of these Mutant Beasts.

In this forgotten land that was away from the advanced technology of this world, for something like these Mutant Beasts to exist… Am I discovering the early traces of another catastrophe that would soon befall this world?

If we could become Transcendent, it's not wrong to believe that even these Mutant Beasts could do that as well.

Wait. I just thought of a possibility.

”I know you're following me since earlier. As you can see, I am confirming what you told me.”

I said without looking at the direction of the hidden Hermit.

He probably deliberated if he would show himself as it took him a minute before he showed himself.

”I thought you're going back. Did you lie to me?”

”Look. I already told you my reason. I couldn't just believe someone who pointed a gun at my face, could I?”

Still without any hostility.

When I noticed that, I turned around and finally saw the Hermit that suddenly showed up and has been following me.

Dark green skin, the feelers on the head.

Other than that… long white hair? Short ears?

And the face that was half-covered by a black cloak as dark as the surroundings is without a doubt from a female.

The voice was being muffled by that cloth which made it hard for me to determine the gender earlier.

After her head, my eyes naturally travelled down, there was that mounds on the chest and also a figure that could rival Nysia's.

Huh?… a female Anzean? No. Even if a female Anzean looked too different from its male counterpart, this Hermit's eyes were that of a Human. Apart from her dark green skin and that shorter than average feelers, she's certainly a human.

A hybrid? A half-human, half-anzean?

”That judging eyes…”

While I was busy checking her out, she muttered something which was immediately followed by her decisive action.

The gun on her hand that my eyes haven't reached yet was once again aimed at me and this time, the Hermit pulled the trigger!

Since there's a distance between us, I had the chance to dodge.

Using Flash Steps, I sidestepped to dodge that destructive force that was unleashed by her gun.

I didn't check the damage it did as I immediately followed the Flash Steps by Elusive Steps to arrive next to her.

”Wha-?!”

This time, before she could even react, I swiftly took her down and aimed my sword at her neck while using my knee to keep her in place.

My foot immediately kicked the gun away from her hand. Though the dangerous feeling from it was already gone, I made sure that she wouldn't be able to fight back.

Judging from the slow reaction and the pressure her body was exuding, she's only a Rank 4 Mortal.

How could that gun be that destructive when she's this weak?

”Why did you pull the trigger?”

”You're just the same as the others! As soon as they saw me, they would only be momentarily surprised before attacking me without any explanation, taking back the words they said!”

I see. If I was a denizen of this world, I might do the same thing as they did.

”Did you think I would do the same and attack you? This is self-defense, you attacked me and I retaliated. Honestly, I can kill you now and be done with this but I'm curious about you. About your origin. Also about these Mutant Beasts and the ethnic tribes. You lied to me. They're still alive, right?”

With my sword touching her neck that only needed a little push to slit her neck cleanly or behead her, I told her my suspicions.

She tried to resist at first but her strength was proven insufficient to take my knee off her. After a few tries, she gave up and closed her eyes before nodding slowly on my question.

If my guess is correct that gun and the increase of the Mutant Beasts strength is because of her. But I can't really be sure without her confession.