As the purpose of the assault team shifted from scouting to searching the mutated birds that attacked Rex earlier—Rex learned more about the Order Skill. Each purchase he made, would give him an hour of time in the designated persona form.
He could stay within the persona form for an hour before reverting back to normal again.
Moreover, if he deactivated the persona form before the time was up, the time would be lost.
Because of that, he couldn't activate the Blood Moon Persona form.
Fighting the Werepanther didn't take an hour, it was about fifteen to twenty minutes at max, but since he deactivated it manually—before the time was up then he needed to purchase it again before he could use that form.
It's not a bummer though as he has no use of the Blood Moon Persona form after the fight.
He would only be a problem for the others if he stayed in that form.
<Banished Dark Moon Order Skill = 11:47>
Checking on the timer of his persona form, Rex hastened his pace and sprinted ahead.
After a small break so that the others could rest and replenish their force energy, the assault team began to move again. It was divided into two groups, with one led by Rex and the other by Flunra.Flunra's team has more yellow force users in them while Rex's team has white force users.
Since the white force users can't stay long under the pressure of the dominion—Rex decides to make them a part of his team. On the other hand—the yellow force users, were in Flunra's team as they could sustain longer away from Rex.
Under that logic, the assault team was divided into two smaller teams.
Rex's team went east while Flunra's team went west.
Instead of seeing if they could go to the other side of the Chorono Hollow—they changed to studying it while searching for the mutated birds. Since the dominion is surrounding the city, it's best for them to map the check in its entirety.
Both teams are going to meet back up at the southern part of the dominion.
As the others were taking a detailed approach, Rex decided to scout ahead.
He wanted to scout as much as possible while the Banished Dark Moon Persona was still on. Find adventures on m_v l|-NovelBin.net
Glancing to the side, Rex pinched his eyebrows, peering through the fog.
Seeing a silhouette in the distance, he decided to change direction to that silhouette.
Rex found that it was another boulder, that was the same as the last one—towering high into the sky, "So there are multiple safe areas inside this place" He uttered, laying his hand on the boulder and scanning it with the System.
Reading the description, there's nothing that he didn't already know aside from its name.
It's called Hollow Stone, and it has the ability to reduce the density of the fog.
Entering the safe area he found the same scenery of a flatland with nothing as far as the eye can see except for mist, and dead trees. However, the air here was stronger, more chilly than in the previous safe area.
"Hmm... It's vague, but I could sense something there," Rex mused to himself.
Out of curiosity, as there was nothing in this dominion—he was curious as to what his senses caught. He was hoping that it would be the mutated bird, but considering that the place, was completely flat, he doubted it.
Birds should like to be on high vantage points, not a flatland like this one.
Not even expecting anything, Rex pierced through the mist and appeared in another place.
He screeched through the ground trying to stop, before he raised his gaze and choked.
Snort!
Snort!
Countless animals taking the shape of wild boars but vastly larger, larger than even the size of buffaloes, filled the landscape before him. Their bodies were covered in thick, shaggy fur with an unusual shade of green.
All of these mutated wild boars had been engaged in various activities.
Some drinking from a crystal-clear stream, their massive snouts dipping into the water, while others engaged in play fights to maintain their four iron root-like horns—curving and pointing menacingly forward, sharp.
Each of their colliding tusks made dull thuds and shockwaves, showcasing their powers.
But the moment Rex screeched into the fray, all movement ceased.
Not expecting anyone to come into their territory—the mutated boars stopped abruptly their attention snapped towards him. A couple, even turned towards him, stomping their muscular legs to turn around.
It was silent for a moment, and the air grew thick with tension.
Hundreds of feral eyes fixed on Rex, their gaze a mix of curiosity and latent aggression.
Rex's ears were deafened by the silence, the only sound now was the rough grunts.
"Uhh... Where the fuck did all of these things come from?" Rex mused in shock.
In that instant, however, he felt the weight of their collective stare as his heart pounded.
Just the sudden stillness from these mutated boars, showed that he was not welcomed.
Crack!
Unleashing a collective squeals, a dozen of these mutated boars, channeled a green mass of energy above their tusks—and it reached its zenith in mere seconds. Instead of fulfilling their curiosity, these animals decided to attack Rex instantly.
Swoosh!
Letting his reflex take control fully, Rex propelled himself upward—dodging the attacks.
But in mid-air, he grunted when a few attacks hit him from behind.
Glancing over his shoulders, he saw that there were more mutated boars behind him, and the number was increasing—as they blinked into existence. Teleportation powers. Rex thought in surprise, but his surprise only served to heighten in the next second. What's this?
<Chorno Blast is affecting the user!>
<Chrono Blast is affecting the user!>
Several notifications appeared, warning him of the effects taking place.
His movements became slow as if someone slowed down the pace of the entire world.
But he was the only one that was moving slowly—the mutated boars moved normally.
As he slowly descended to the ground—an even bigger mutated boar body charged him and sent him crashing away—or at least it was supposed to send him crashing away but instead, he was being thrown to the side in slow motion.
Despite the pain was quick to assault his body, the impact was not moving as normally.
Tch! Their attacks earlier slowed the time around me!
Gritting his teeth—more mutated boars, came charging, slamming his body with their robust, fearsome tusks relentlessly. Rex could react to protect himself—he knew he could do that as he was faster than these mutated boars.
But the slow effect on him made his body move way slower than he envisioned in his mind.
Even then, as he was bullied by the mutated boars, a voice rang in his mind.
"If there are mutated animals here, kill as many as you can"
Rex remembered Flunra's words after he talked about the Lunar Bee that seemed to be mind controlling the mutated falcon he fought earlier. Flunra said that not for the Lunar Bee—but it was for the preparation to gain divine energy.
The one plan that Flunra said to be offensive to Kaiser of the Scarlet Garland, a Lunirich God.
Upon recalling those words, a smile crept to Rex's face, "I guess this much will do..."
A moment later.
Gistella and the other on Rex's team followed the scratch mark Rex left behind for them to follow and found the boulder. It looked almost exactly the same—as the boulders from the previous safe area, so all of them knew that there was another safe area.
Along the way, they noted that there was only a river and dead trees.
Nothing worth mentioning, the place seemed empty.
But because of the search, a lot of them are already drained again.
Realizing that there was another safe area ahead, which had a lesser oppressive energy than the dangerous area, the team excitedly, quickened their pace—including Gistella. Upon going into the safe area, they could breathe easier.
It was only then, however, that they all went alert at a massive silhouette ahead.
Garnering their powers, the team created a barrier and the heavy hitters prepared spells.
All of them moved in sync, showing that they were seasoned fighters.
Fearing that it might be the mutated birds, the team reacted this way, but as they got closer to the silhouette they could only lower their guards—and sucked in a cold breath. Instead of the mutated birds, it was something else.
"Took you long enough to get here,"
"Rex...?"
As the mist blew to the side, Rex's face became clear, showing that it was really him.
But the sight that made the team gasp was not the sight of him, rather, what was underneath him, right now. Hundreds of carcasses of mutated animals, piled into a small hill, and Rex was sitting on top of it with a nonchalant demeanor.
Each of the people witnessing this gulped at the sight of Rex, or their Emperor.
One look is all it takes for them to realize something important.
Judging from the remnant of aura, coming from the carcasses of the mutated boars beneath him, it was easy to tell that these mutated boars, were at least in the ninth-rank realm. Some were even stronger than that, reaching the peak of the ninth-rank realm.
Not to mention, the Awakened present didn't recognize the mana around the area.
Mana that these mutated boars seemed to have.
"What kind of elemental affinity do they have...?"
"I don't know, but it's certainly not the regular mystic elements—a unique affinity"
Stepping forward, Gistella mused, "Seems like there were more than those mutated birds,"
"Yeah," Rex replied, as he descended from the pile of carcasses. "From the looks of things, it was not only us, who sought refuge in the safe area—these mutated animals also did. Still as expected, the top dogs should be the mutated birds,"
As he stepped down, Gistella realized that Rex had already reverted back to normal.
Moreover, there was a bleeding scratch on his neck.
"You're hurt," Gistella commented, pointing at the blood on his neck.
Upon hearing this, Rex touched his neck and found that he was bleeding lightly, "It happened in the last second when my form expired—the strongest mutated boar struck me. It could not only slow me down using its time affinity—but also quicken the time around it on top of being able to somehow read my moves. I guess it could also peer into the future somehow"
"But I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about," He added, focusing his energy on the scratch.
In mere seconds, that scratch was healed to normal, "See?"
Gistella nodded, the scratch looked deep, but it seemed the mutated boar had nothing to slow, Rex's regenerative ability. Anyone who has no power to slow down, his regenerative ability would find Rex a nightmare to fight against.
On the other hand, the others who heard their conversation could only shiver.
"Time... affinity...?"
"I- It's the Emperor, mutated animals with time affinities is not a big deal for him"
"I guess that's what happens when you're the strongest"
Just as they were bantering, a weak, snorting sound could be heard from the side.
Another mutated boar could be seen, and it had its belly and left hind leg severely wounded, leaving trails of blood as it tried to limp away. Its greenish energy could be seen gathering to its wounds, but it has no effect aside making it whimper in pain.
An invasive energy was preventing it from healing its wounds, regardless of what it tried.
Despite its best efforts to heal the wounds, it couldn't.
"You missed one" Gistella commented, seeing the poor mutated boar.
However, Rex shook his head, "No I didn't, I deliberately left it alive"
"For what? Do you want to eat it?" She added as the other carcasses were mostly charred.
"Something like that," Upon hearing this—Rex smirked as he began walking towards the poor wounded mutated boar, he was excited for some reason. "Unlike the others, you greatly have my interest, pig. That earlier move you did, the one you used to dodge my strike even though I was right behind you, is that foresight ability? If it is then I want it,"
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