Chapter 44 - THE SMILE OF MISCHIEF (2/2)
Dust disturbs any vision and Azief smiles looking at his masterpiece. Even from this distance he could feel the heat.
He quickly heals himself and drinks his potion at the same time.
The bleeding on his back quickly stop bleeding and with his life force already strong, his injury quickly healing itself.
It was during this time Sofia uses her Torrents of Arrows to attack the monsters.
It was like thousands of sharp object falling from the sky all determined to kill the target.
In the stronghold, the crowds on the watchtower look in awe and fear and even respect at the ensuing battle.
Hamad clearly understand the power of the beats that is rampaging right now but then he also began understanding the power that Lord Shadow possesses.
They are even some kids who could not handle their curiosity and climb up the watchtower and watch the battle.
The kids uses binoculars to look while the one who has some skill look it with their eyes.
They could see a most amazing battle. The beast was large like a giant but the man in the hood was contending equally with the monster.
They see from the beginning of the fights how the man in the hood, dodged every attack of the monster easily.
They even praise the arrows that sometimes helped him.
But what amazes them is that the person shooting these arrows moves to fast and always changes her location that trying to watch her only make their head dizzy for following such fast movements.
But it was later that truly made them feel that this battle is not battle they can interfere or help.
Hamad wanted to help Lord Shadow to solve their ill feeling but when the explosion happened the ground shakes and in front of the crowds, looking from afar they could only see a large explosion….like a Michael Bay film.
And then they saw the light that resembles arrows striking the beast from the sky, destroying the ground like it was being mortared by bombs.
When deity fights, why should mortals interfere?
Hamad who wanted to summon the Companies stopped his word and only looks in silence.
'It seems I underestimated Lord Shadow. I underestimated him too much.' He clearly feel regret right now.
Azief on the other hand is still looking at the area around the explosion.
The explosion created an appearance of chaos, but Azief mind was organized.
His eyes did not lose focus as he is trying to maintain his vision towards the area where the monster step his trap.
Suddenly a tail is coming towards him. From the movement of the tail it seems the monster wanted to bind him.
But how could he let that happen.
He jumped back and the moment the tail did not reach him, he quickly exploded forward with his feet as the tail has shown the location of the main body.
Rushing through the dust he then saw the silhouette before he saw the monster.
The monster has its scale torn apart , body riddles with holes and blood flowing from each hole.
One of its eyeball was shot and destroyed. Its hand is full with holes and bleeding and some part of its body has some traces of burns.
It was then Azief jump to one of its hand, run as fast as he can and then jump again in the air as he punch the aliens below the chin with Energy Fist.
The moment the Energy Fist come out of his hand, it shot the monster chin but then azief real fist then landed.
Two attacks.
One is his skill. The other one was his pure brute strength. A few of the monster fangs cracked and fall out from its jaw.
One drop of its gooey liquid fall down to Azief sleeve and corrode the attire and then it left a burn mark at Azief hand as he retreated.
Azief landed on the ground as the alien collapsed on the ground with a thud.
The ground shakes again because of the heavy impact creating a mid-size crater.
Azief could feel the pain on his arms but he quickly drink another potion and slowly his flesh regenerated back.
As long as he didn't lose a limb he could heal anything with his potions.
Even though the monster has fall down Azief did not approach it as he attack the monster from far away with Energy Fist.
With every fist the sound of fist ripping through air could be heard, and every time it landed the scales on the monster broke apart and blood slowly flowed more faster from the monster body.
It tries to get up but the moment it tries to get up Sofia would then shoot to the monster nerve with extreme precision.
The more scales that were broken apart by Azief fist, the more holes the monster have in its body.
Azief and Sofia has great teamwork, both complementing the other.
The blood slowly turns green as it corrodes the area around the monster body, the grass wilted and the ground turns black.
It tries to get up again but Azief and Sofia did not stop their attack even for a minute.
It was like they were machinegun. They did not use other technique. Azief uses his Energy Fist.
Sofia uses her Torrents of Arrows. If the other one stops to drink some potions the other would cover the person.
Considering that they have a lot of potions they could spend it like crazy. If it was anybody else, they wouldn't be able to.
The reason why they didn't change their repertoire of their attack is because why bother something that works.
So, as time passed, it is clear that the monster is going to die. With one last howl it truly dies and suddenly the surrounding become peaceful.
Then the notification windows appeared in front of Azief.
Ignoring the notification window, he is more worried about his second phase plan.
'Loki, don't disappoint me. I will probe you after you return' he thought inwardly as he began checking his rewards and new skill.
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In the stronghold some rubbed their eyes and then rubbing it again and again until some have red eyes.
They did not see wrong right? How could such monster be defeated only by two people?
Some of the adults civilian looking at the spectacle then think of something. If I was strong as that man, why would I have to follow the government?
Some of the teenager who is more rebellious at heart also think of the same thing especially when they are reminded of the fact that even though they risk their life to fight monster they did not even get to keep their rewards.
Thinking about it, some of the teenagers believe, if they were allowed to keep their rewards, and learn the skill books that they have managed to obtain wouldn't they be as strong as that Lord Shadow?
'Should we send someone there to collect the loot?' One of the captain spoke as he could imagine the kind of treasure dropped from that monster.
Hamad look at the area of the battlefield with his Hawk vision and shakes his head.
'But…'
'Who would want to go offend Lord Shadow and dug an early grave?' He asked and then every captain shut their mouth.
Thinking about it, even if all the thirteen captain gang up to fight Lord Shadow there is no certainty they would win.
Not to mention, that Lord Shadow is not alone.
They thought that the woman companion was just a weak leveler.
Who would have thought that innocent young woman could create a torrent of arrows from the sky and hit the grounds like a napalm bomb each one is capable of ripping their life.
Then, they began to think of another grim possibility. If that power was pointed at them, pointed at this stronghold, then what would happen?
Two people are enough to destroy their stronghold!
They began to realize it and they began feeling more inferior and began sharing the thoughts of other civilian
Why should they let the government have their hard earned skill books, pills, potions and other resource they could find when they could become stronger by using it?
After all why should the government be angry their citizens become more powerful? Wouldn't that be better for the government to combat the monsters?
Then one of the youth who could not hold it anymore then yelled.
'I want my dues. I want my skill book back.'
Azief didn't realize but that night he sets something ablaze in the hearts of the people inside the stronghold.
The desire to become stronger.
Then another youth scream the same thing. And another. And another. Slowly the minority voice becomes the majority and they run towards the Acquisition Barn.
'Stop them!' one of the captain urged
They wanted to stop them of course, but handling a mob is not something normal guard could do.
They could not kill anyone either to be made an example of because this would only inflame these mob.
Even when Hamad shouted stop no one listen as they ram towards the barn and the barn door open.
Hamad expected to hear cheers or people laughing but it was utter silence. Moving through the crowds he went to the front and seeing the inside of the barn he is also stunned silence.
'What happened!' he yelled with all of his heart, his veins was bulging.
What he sees was emptiness. The barn was empty. All the resources they have inside the barns, Pill forming pillars, EXP Pills, skills, herbs, poisons all of them is gone.
At the back of the crowd was a hunchback old man slowly walking to the entrance gate with its cane and unnoticed as he went out of the stronghold.
Smiling, he swipes his face with his left hand and his body turns into a young man. Then from his bag of holding he brings out a helmet and wears it and he disappeared from sight.
One could hear someone laughed, if they truly try to hear, laugh brought by the blowing wind as the sound slowly disappeared.
If Azief could hear the sound of laughter he would describe it as full with mischief.
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