Unexpected

There was no doubt about it: that was a monster.

Even from such a long distance away, the monster's dense aura still made Xiao Xiao feel uncomfortable, and every hair on his body stood on end.

Perhaps sensing Xiao Xiao's gaze, the monster's eyes shifted and met his directly.

In its scarlet pupils lay a blood-red sky. Beneath it stretched a sea of blood and a mountain of corpses, thick blood flowing slowly as murderous energy soared into the heavens. A bone-chilling killing intent coursed through it all—a desolate, lifeless scene, yet sharp as a blade.

Xiao Xiao clapped a hand over his eyes. It felt as if they'd been pierced, the pain so intense it was almost unbearable.

If the pain he'd endured these past few days hadn't greatly increased his tolerance, he would have cried out long ago.

Xiao Xiao's nostrils flared. It was as if a strong metallic smell were churning in the air, and even his mouth filled with a cloyingly sweet, nauseating taste.

"Third Brother, what's wrong?"

"Third Brother?"

"...I'm fine." Golden Light leaked through the gaps between Xiao Xiao's fingers as he covered his eyes. A few breaths later, it disappeared without a trace.

"Whew." As the pain faded, Xiao Xiao slowly lowered his hand and blinked, somewhat sluggishly. The stinging pain from before felt like an illusion.

That monster was strong.

Xiao Xiao lowered his eyes, his exceptionally sharp senses clearly picking up the aura of the monster in the opposing team's seating area.

Cold, domineering, and thick with the stench of blood.

It was the first time he'd encountered a monster that could leave him in such a sorry state with just a glance.

But how could such a powerful monster be with a human?

He couldn't help wondering if he'd been mistaken earlier. Had the monster really been standing on that new player's shoulder?

Or had it just happened to be there?

Ha. Xiao Xiao gently rubbed the corner of his eye, no longer trying to fool himself.

This really was the first time he'd come across a human-and-monster combination.

Could that new player see the monster?

Was the monster staying on the new player's shoulder for some purpose of its own? Or had the new player agreed to it as a compromise?

Or were they working together for mutual benefit?

Surely they weren't in a master-and-servant relationship?

"Third Brother, the game's started!"

Huh? Xiao Xiao raised his head, looking a little dazed and not quite with it.

"Tweet!" The sharp blast of a whistle made Xiao Xiao jump.

"Thump, thump, thump!" The crisp, rapid pounding of the basketball against the floor sent the whole arena's energy soaring.

The crowd roared, countless voices blending together. The lively scene stirred people's hearts and set their blood pounding.

But Xiao Xiao seemed not to hear a thing. His eyes searched intently for the new player.

He wasn't in the waiting area. Had he really gone on the court right at the start?

Yet the ferocious monster had taken over the seat where the new player had been sitting. Its eyelids were half lowered, as if it were resting.

After what had happened earlier, Xiao Xiao only glanced at the monster before turning his attention to the court. He spotted the new player at once.

He was tall enough to stand out even among the other basketball players.

After all, this was China, not overseas. How many players here were two meters tall? Especially on a university basketball team.

Still, how could he tell what sort of relationship the new player had with the monster?

Maybe the monster was resting. Maybe it simply didn't care about him. In any case, when Xiao Xiao looked its way again, it didn't fix him with that razor-sharp stare that had seemed ready to pierce right through his eyeballs.

So Xiao Xiao openly alternated between watching the new player and watching the monster.

He didn't care at all that the monster might be looking down on him.

Actually, he could feel it. The more monsters he encountered, and the more monsters there were in the Monster Compendium, the stronger he seemed to become.

He could feel the energy the Monster Compendium returned to him. It was gradually putting his body in order; his physical condition was improving, and his senses were growing sharper.

It had been less than two months since he first saw a monster. Even though his own body had undergone a transformation that could be called earth-shattering, he still only had the vaguest idea of how or why any of it had happened.

As for monsters, he could hardly have been more in the dark.

But he wasn't in a hurry. He had always been the sort of person who took things as they came, and he was lazy by nature.

He rather enjoyed this tipsy feeling of "not needing to understand everything."

Besides, he would get stronger.

That much was beyond doubt. He had never questioned it.

When that time came, many of his questions would no longer be questions.

"Ah!" The whole arena erupted. Many people sprang to their feet, leaning forward and shouting loudly.

"Damn it, what's going on?" Zhuge Yun leaned halfway over the stands, both angry and confused.

"Why did he fall again?" Zhao Luzheng looked completely baffled.

Xiao Xiao knitted his brows, a cold edge showing in his expression. This was...

Their team had been in a good position, gradually gaining the upper hand.

Even with the other team's powerful new player, basketball was a team sport. The opposing team clearly hadn't fully adjusted to the newcomer yet, giving their side an opportunity to take advantage.

But in the second half, for some reason, their players kept acting strangely whenever they faced the new player. They would either fall or suddenly freeze up, allowing the other team to steal the ball.

The score had drawn even, then their opponents had pulled ahead.

The other team's cheers only made the gloom on their side all the more apparent.

They couldn't understand it. They'd been just about to press their advantage, so how had they suddenly wilted?

And why were they losing points in such bizarre ways? Had they all slept badly last night?

But no matter how much they tore their hair out or strained their eyes until they nearly popped, they couldn't spot a single thing the opposing team was doing wrong.

Wasn't the other team tripping them up on purpose?

How could that be?!

Xiao Xiao watched the new player's eyes. The player had been facing away from him before, so he'd been just as confused as everyone else by the repeated mishaps. But this time, the player was facing him, and Xiao Xiao saw everything clearly.

Those eyes suddenly turned scarlet, vicious and chilling. An endless killing intent surged toward them. The students, sheltered in their ivory tower, couldn't withstand that kind of pressure. Freezing in place was the best some of them could manage; others stumbled backward and collapsed as their legs gave out.

Those eyes... Xiao Xiao shifted his gaze to the monster. They were exactly like the monster's: cold and bloodthirsty.

But the players who'd been hit by that pressure didn't seem to know what had happened afterward. Their bewildered, self-reproachful expressions made that clear.

What convenient eyes.

But wasn't using them here a bit of an overkill?

A glint of cold anger flashed through Xiao Xiao's eyes.

"Ah—" An even louder scream rang out.

Xiao Xiao couldn't help getting to his feet.

"Crack!" His keen senses even let him hear the sound of a bone breaking.

Another player on the court had fallen after being struck by the same force. A player from the opposing team either hadn't seen him or something, and charged straight toward him. Unable to stop in time, he stepped right on the fallen player's foot. He tumbled too, but a nimble roll kept him from getting hurt. He was more or less fine.

The player whose foot had been stepped on wasn't nearly so lucky.

His face was pale with pain, and huge beads of sweat covered his forehead. He couldn't even speak. It was obvious he was badly hurt.

"Tweet!" The game was paused.