Chapter 2029 - 2022: I Will Take Back Everything I Lost
Adventurers from the Ice Demon Race swiftly traversed the jungle, pushing every ounce of potential to its limits. If they held back even a little, they would face slaughter by the earth beasts.
"Damn, that beast has caught up!" An adventurer from the Ice Demon Race was sweating profusely.
"That useless person couldn’t hold off for even a minute?" At this moment, they felt no remorse for abandoning their comrade; instead, they blamed him for not delaying longer before dying. In the Ice Demon Race, besides the natural laws of survival of the fittest, emotions seemed non-existent.
The earth beast was incredibly fast, and the distance between them was quickly closing. But to their surprise, another beast was waiting ahead!
"Another earth beast!" Despair filled their eyes. This beast was weaker than the one trailing behind, but still posed a catastrophic threat; none were confident in breaking through its blockade.
The earth beast roared as it charged, and the ground began to shift. Walls of earth radiated from its center, blocking their sides.
"It’s over!"
The earth walls, formed by the beast, were incredibly strong. Even if united, they’d struggle to break them down. In this state, a single second’s delay was utterly disheartening.
"Let’s go for broke!"
The adventurers stopped, forming a circle as if they were trusting collaborators, though only they knew their true intentions.
"Bang!" The earth beast’s impact shattered their formation. No one dared to directly face its onslaught. The lead adventurer’s weapon broke, his shoulder pierced by the monster, releasing seemingly crystalline fragments as blood.
The two earth beasts rushed the crowd, creating chaos. Within moments, two were killed, and the remaining felt immense pressure.
"We’re doomed!" Every Ice Demon adventurer resigned themselves to death as four walls blocked their escape route; fleeing was impossible.
"Bang!" Another was struck and sent flying into a wall. They might lack bones, but the cracks spelled their grave condition.
The earth beast eyed him disdainfully, preparing to charge again — one hit would guarantee death.
Swoosh!
Just then, a golden light pierced through the earth wall, striking the beast’s occiput and propelling it against another wall.
The beast struggled twice, then fell lifeless.
"Supreme Crystal! Earth beast’s scales! And its blood..." Despite his severe injuries, the adventurer’s eyes greedily surveyed these rarities, typically found in one out of a thousand beasts, now all dropped together!
"Who?" He eyed the direction of the arrow’s origin as the wall burst open, revealing another Ice Demon adventurer stepping in.
"Our own!"
Seeing the figure, the surviving adventurers latched onto hope. Anyone who could dispatch an earth beast might easily handle another.
The newcomer wielded an exaggerated bow. As he pulled the string, a frost-forged arrow appeared, ready to pierce the second beast with immense force.
The beast summoned earth energy, its defense mighty and stable. They suffered under its force, its impenetrable hide dealing brutal blows.
But no one anticipated the energy’s insignificance against the arrow, effortlessly breaching it and piercing the second beast’s eye.
The beast suffered even worse; vast energy erupted from the arrow, obliterating its head instantly.
Two formidable earth beasts were suddenly dispatched by this powerful adventurer!
"Are you alright?" Zhang Menglong greeted in the Ice Demon language.
The adventurers clambered up with support, freezing at the sight of Zhang Menglong, as if his presence immobilized them.
"This... this pressure, are you of the Royal Family?"
"Royal Family?" Their shock was palpable, explaining his prowess, as his vitality seemed inferior, yet he vanquished the beast with ease, credit to his bow and innate strength.
Ordinary Ice Demons amplify power a hundredfold from rest to battle. The Royal Family, however, defies measurement, enhancing exponentially during combat.
To them, a possible revelation of his full might reached King Level beast standards.
Zhang Menglong’s silence confirmed the truth.
"Thank you for saving us," they bowed deeply to Zhang Menglong, "without you, we might have perished."
"I merely passed by," Zhang Menglong feigned aloof detachment, saying, "Since you’re fine, I’ll be off!"
"Hold on!" they called out, "May we ask which tribe’s Royal Family you belong to?"
"Tribe?" Zhang Menglong hesitated, unable to answer, having no knowledge of Ice Demon tribes.
"Well, I was exiled among other races since childhood; I recently learned I’m of the Ice Demon race, so I returned seeking my kin."
"Really?" They pondered deeply.
Tribes possessing Royals are invariably large, rife with rivalries. Some Royals, victimized or seeking peace, hide in other races, often plausible.
Immediately, they wove a tragic tale for Zhang Menglong, an exiled Royal.
"Now I’ve returned to reclaim all I’ve lost!"