Volume Two: Speed of Life and Death in the Northern Realm - Stone Strike
"Phew, I escaped death..."
Unaccustomed to large gatherings, Ailin slumped in the back seat, her delicate face contorted in a grimace. Ally's hands, gripping the steering wheel, trembled slightly. Only Givinia remained remarkably calm, as if nothing had happened.
"Where are those scumbags from the Vino Lions Team?" I asked.
"They ran away early. As far as I know, Kilga's ability is to make himself and anything he touches fly, which is perfect for escaping," Ally said dismissively.
"So that means they've already taken the lead over us..."
I sighed. I had finally found a way to score points, but I missed the opportunity because of the Crystal Emperor Tree's interference. It won't be easy to find another way to score points.
"Don't be discouraged! Don't forget I'm here for you! Look!" Givinia covered her mouth and smiled, pointing to the sky.
Eileen, Ailin, and I, even while Ally was driving, immediately leaned out and saw a line of words, like fireworks, appear in the sky above the bonus point: Congratulations! C-102!
"What... what's going on? Did we successfully mark it?"
"Of course!" Givinia puffed out her chest smugly. "I took advantage of the chaos to leave the pendant there. Don't think I was just standing by while you guys were fighting."
"Sister Givinia..."
"So reliable!"
"Divine Teammate!"
The three of us stared at each other with admiration. Ah, Givinia, you're so reliable! It's such a shame you weren't chosen as captain!
That being said--
I secretly touched the abdomen of my team uniform, where there was a faint spherical bulge—the sphere I obtained from the Crystal Emperor Tree. To avoid any complications, I didn't tell the other three about its existence, intending to study it myself later.
The Crystal Fruit produced by the Crystal Tree are also divided into different grades: Crystal Fruit, Crystal King Fruit, Crystal Emperor Fruit, and Crystal Realm Fruit. This fist-sized sphere is most likely the legendary Crystal Emperor Fruit...
As for how to use it, I have my own plans.
A few minutes later, the previously marked point --
The rubble on the ground had all turned into crystals. The Crystal Emperor Tree stood quietly in place. After losing the Crystal Emperor Fruit, it became much quieter. Unless someone actively attacked it, it generally would not attack others.
Karon, Karon Karon--
On a patch of ground not covered by crystals, a small hill rose up, like a stone bud emerging from the ground. Cracks appeared on the surface of the bud, large chunks of stone peeled away, and a tall figure emerged from it.
Is this a person, or a stone sculpture?
Its massive body, nearly three meters tall, with extremely thick limbs, exuded an overwhelming sense of weight. Its leaden-gray skin, like rock, was covered in tattoo-like white lines, and its white hair stood on end. Its head, like a stone, featured sharply defined, rugged features reminiscent of a knife or axe. Its upper body was naked, while its lower body was wrapped in a black and white striped cloth. Its dark feet stood directly on the ground, seemingly one with it.
Rather than describing it as a human, it's more accurate to say that it's an ancient rock statue enshrined in a temple.
"That's strange."
The strange, rock-god-like figure— Stone Strike —murmured, his voice as deep and resonant as the impression he gave off.
"Why did the tree at this sealed point sprout on its own? Was something attracting it...?"
Stone Strike strode forward, and with each step, the ground trembled slightly. The surrounding rocks seemed to be summoned by something, and they trembled and hummed automatically. As he approached, the Crystal Emperor Tree seemed to be activated, its crystalline branches and leaves suddenly unfurling, and dazzling stripes of crystalline light emerged from the void, watching menacingly.
With a flash of light, a gigantic crystal blade, hundreds of feet in size, descended from the sky, falling straight towards Stone Strike! The atmosphere trembled, and the spiritual energy floating in the air surged violently. The power of this attack was on a completely different level compared to the attack on the two convoys earlier!
However-- Boom!!!
The crystal blade's downward momentum came to an abrupt halt.
A hand, a massive hand as thick as an ancient rock, steadily caught the hundred-foot-long blade without even the slightest tremor!
"After all, it's a Royal-level being; it's quite formidable..."
Stone Strike looked up at the hand that had caught the crystal blade. Tiny cracks appeared on the surface of his palm, and some small stone fragments fell from his palm.
"Haven't fought in a while, my physical strength has dropped... Perfect, I'll use you as practice!"
Later, media reports indicated that a small earthquake occurred that afternoon near the entrance to Route 1, Mad Mountains.
That night, at a certain supply point—
"We can sleep indoors today, aren't you all happy!"
"Oh~~~~~~~~~~~~"
We are now in a small cabin in the mountains, just like the first supply point we encountered—an unmanned one. We arrived at the perfect time to sleep. It's completely dark, and no convoys will be traveling at this hour, so we can get a good night's sleep undisturbed in the cabin.
"Starting tomorrow, we'll be in the heart of the Mad Mountains, the most dangerous area. Once we get past there, everything will be fine!"
"Then get some rest, goodnight everyone."
Goodnight~
Goodnight... phew...
The car was parked in the cabin. Ally and Ailin slept upstairs, while Givinia and I slept downstairs, so we wouldn't disturb each other.
The lights are out.
"Hmm~~~ Let me see, any new developments from today's immoral sisters~❤"
Givinia was about to use her Mind Projection to spy on the two sisters again, a mysterious, bewitching smile on her face... Hey, you damn lesbian, where's your decency? I don't even dare to sleep with you! What if you take advantage of me while I'm asleep and then... well, that might not be so bad?
"A Ye, do you want to watch? I have a feeling today's going to be really exciting!"
"I don't need it. I'm tired after fighting all day."
"Really? What a pity..."
I was lying to her.
I have a big plan for tonight.
I closed my eyes, remained motionless, and pretended to be asleep. At first, Givinia's body twitched slightly, and her breathing was a little erratic. After some time, her breathing became steady and long, and she seemed to have fallen asleep.
I carefully got up, glanced at Givinia again to make sure she was really fast asleep, then grabbed two things and left the cabin.
I ran alone through the dark forest, killing many nocturnal monsters along the way. After running about seven or eight hundred meters, I finally found an open space to stop.
At this distance, I won't be detected...
I took out two things that I had been carefully carrying in my arms: one was a plant specimen I had bought from a stall, and the other was a crystal-blue, perfectly round sphere, crystal clear and extremely beautiful—it was the Crystal Emperor Fruit.
I first picked up the plant specimen and, by the moonlight, carefully examined the almost invisible gold-embossed nameplate on its storage box.
"Yan... Yi... Minghua?"
Yan Yi Ming Hua? What a cringeworthy name. It's probably the "burning red Lycoris radiata" that the Huang Huo made me devour back then. Although the name is cringeworthy, it's full of strange domineering power and is definitely not something to be trifled with.
Since they're not to be trifled with, it would be too risky for me, with my complete inexperience, to simply "devour" them; I might end up losing everything.
Therefore, practice is necessary.
Thinking of this, I looked closely at the Crystal Emperor Fruit...
I sensed something was amiss when I first encountered the Crystal Emperor Tree.
At that time, I clearly felt that the blood in my body had some kind of "resonance" with the Crystal Emperor Tree, which is why the Crystal Emperor Tree broke through the soil and attacked us.
Most importantly, my "Blood Crystal" and the Crystal Emperor Tree's "Blue Crystal" are so similar that, apart from the color, their properties, texture, power, and attack methods are exactly the same!
Blood Fiend must possess many special abilities, but the only one it passed on to me was blood crystallization. If the Blood Fiend of yesteryear could imbue its blood with new properties by devouring rare and precious herbs... then could this power of blood crystallization also have come from devouring something else?
If that's the case, then what was it that she devoured?
The answer, I'm afraid... lies in my hands!
I looked at the Crystal Emperor Fruit in my hand, and my breathing became heavy. Now that I have the ability to crystallize blood—in other words, I can say that I have already consumed the Crystal Emperor Fruit once—the burden on my body should be much less if I consume another one now.
This is perfect for practice.